Automated Pizzeria Pazzi Opens in Madrid Amid Local Noise Concerns

The French restaurant chain Pazzi has inaugurated its first fully automated location in Madrid, Spain, marking a notable advancement in integrating robotics within the hospitality sector. Situated at Calle Gaztambide, number 14, in the Chamberí district, the establishment operates without human cooks or servers, relying entirely on machinery for the complete pizza production cycle. The system is engineered for high capacity, capable of producing up to 80 pizzas per hour, with the entire process, from dough preparation to final packaging, theoretically completed in under five minutes following an order placed via a touchscreen interface.

The core automation technology originates from the Brazilian firm Pibra, which possesses over three decades of experience designing assembly lines and intralogistics solutions, frequently serving the automotive industry. To ensure the quality of the output aligns with the machinery's speed, Pazzi enlisted the culinary guidance of Thierry Graffagnino, a three-time world pizza champion who secured titles in 2011, 2012, and 2013. Graffagnino is responsible for validating the recipes, overseeing ingredient selection, and parameterizing the robotic system to uphold artisanal standards, thereby bridging advanced automation with established gastronomic tradition.

Ingredient quality is maintained through meticulous sourcing and preservation methods, a critical factor for scaling an automated concept internationally. The pizza sauce is supplied by Cirio, an Italian tomato producer established in 1856 that collaborates with more than 14,500 local farmers across Italy. Furthermore, perishable toppings like cheese and meats are preserved using Individually Quick Frozen (IQF) technology, which rapidly freezes ingredients to retain texture and nutritional value, ensuring consistency across all service points. The pizzas are baked in a high-performance stone oven, honoring a fundamental tradition of authentic pizza-making despite the surrounding automation.

Although the Madrid City Council confirmed the necessary operating license for the new venue, the opening has generated resistance from local residents. Primary concerns focus on the potential for increased noise levels and late-night activity associated with a 24/7 operation, which could disrupt the urban environment. Noise pollution is a recognized issue in Madrid, where the City Council’s Ordinance for Protection against Acoustic and Thermal Pollution (OPCAT) sets specific decibel limits, particularly strict during the night period between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. The Pazzi model, which targets clientele such as students and late-night consumers near the Moncloa interchange, now faces the challenge of demonstrating operational harmony with established residential quietude regulations.