On-demand robotic food assembly equipment, and related systems and methods

A method of operating a piece of equipment for on-demand food preparation, the piece of equipment comprising:

• a base;
• a robotic appendage having a proximate end and a distal end, the robotic appendage selectively moveable to position the distal end of the robotic appendage with respect to the base;
• an end of arm tool carried by the at least one robotic appendage at least proximate the distal end thereof;
• and a first actuator drivingly coupled to the end of arm tool, the method comprising:
• determining by at least one processor a movement for the robotic appendage;
• and
• transmitting by the at least one processor a first signal to the first actuator based upon the determined movement, the first signal causing the first actuator to move the end of arm tool between a retracted position and an extended position, in the retracted position the end of arm tool spaced relatively toward the distal end of the robotic appendage and in the extended position the end of arm tool spaced relatively away from the distal end of the robotic appendage with respect to the retracted position.