When I heard there was a robot-powered cafe in Brookfield, I knew I had to check it out.
Octane Coffee (19555 W. Bluemound Rd., Brookfield), opened its first location in Pewaukee in 2023, selling coffee without a single employee in the building. Every cappuccino, espresso, mocha and other beverage is served by automated machines. The budding chain expanded into Brookfield this fall with a new fully-automated drive-thru kiosk, and ownership has said Hales Corners will be next.
I pulled up to Octane curious and a little skeptical. Could a robot really beat, or even match, a human barista at their own game? I didn’t quite know what to expect, besides that this would be different from anything I’d seen in Milwaukee.
The Brookfield kiosk is modern and compact. I was actually shocked by how small it is – it looked more like a high-tech vending machine than a traditional cafe. Because it’s designed exclusively for drive-thru service, there’s no interior seating or walk-up counter, just a single lane and a pickup window.
I decided to test the robots with my personal favorite: a pumpkin spice latte. I’ve had more than a few of these this fall, so I wanted to see how a robot-made version compares.
Ordering was simple, though as you can probably imagine a bit impersonal. I drove up to the digital screen, scanned the QR code to download the app, and scrolled the lengthy menu before placing my order. The app then generated a unique QR code for me to scan at the drive-thru window.
Since I ordered from the parking lot, the robots started brewing right away. The app can track your location, so if you order from farther away, your coffee starts being prepared when you’re about two minutes out.
Within a couple minutes, the app notified me that my coffee was ready. I drove up to the window, scanned my QR code, and the sleek metal compartment beneath the scanner immediately opened, a small sliding door revealing the coffee waiting for me with my name printed on the cup.
To my surprise, the pumpkin spice latte was amazing. The cup was piping hot, the flavor was smooth and well-balanced, and it had just the right amount of pumpkin. Octane partners with local businesses like Stone Creek and Pilcrow Coffee for their ingredients, which explains the taste.
One of my favorite things about Octane was the convenience. I didn’t have to wait in line behind 20 impatient customers, which is often the case at my Starbucks. No misheard orders, no misspelled names, and the ability to order from anywhere is a plus for anyone in a hurry.
With that being said, one of the reasons I love cafes is the atmosphere. I love chatting with friends, people-watching and working with a warm coffee in hand. Octane sacrifices this for efficiency, and I found the experience strangely lonely as a result.
So, would I go back? If I’m in a hurry, yes. But when I’m craving conversation or a cozy atmosphere, I’ll opt for a warm local cafe full of humans, like Colectivo or Rochambo.
Octane might be a slightly surreal glimpse into the future of coffee. Whether that sounds exciting or unsettling depends on how much you like that human atmosphere.
