Autonomous food station

A food station comprising:

• first and second pluralities of cubbies, each cubby sized to enclose a food portion container and accept a portion container carrier that can hold the food portion container;
• a collection hatch large enough for the food portion container to pass therethrough, the collection hatch being externally accessible;
• a heating system that controllably heats one or more of the first plurality of cubbies independently of the second plurality of cubbies;
• a cooling system that cools one or more of the second plurality of cubbies independently of the first plurality of cubbies;
• an internal transport system including an end effector that temporarily couples to the portion container carrier of a selected cooled cubby of the second plurality of cubbies and controllably moves the food portion container carrier within the food station to a selected heated cubby of the first plurality of cubbies;
• and
• a control system including a memory that controls the heating and controls the movement of the internal transport system;
• wherein the internal transport system can controllably move the food portion container to the collection hatch;
• wherein the cooling system includes a blower and an insulated air duct between an evaporator of a refrigeration system and the second plurality of cubbies;
• and
• wherein the insulated air duct is a dual coaxial air duct with air flow towards the second plurality of cubbies within an inner duct portion and return air flow back to the evaporator within an outer duct portion.