The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
RoboChop: Restaurant employs hi-tech waiters
City centre eaterie aims to give public the ‘wow factor’
Diners at a Tayside restaurant will be waited on by robots from today.
Yamm World Buffet in Dundee has been “training” its new staff after their import from China.
The Whitehall Street eaterie’s director Shan Gu, said the hi-tech waiters have already been operational in China for the last two years.
Restaurants in East Asia have reportedly been impressed by the cyborgs which can serve drinks and talk to customers.
Shan admitted she was hoping the new workers would give local customers the same “wow factor”.
Despite not officially opening until today, they have already attracted a lot of attention from passing pedestrians.
She said: “They are the first two robot servers in Scotland to our knowledge, if not even the UK.
“Obviously we need to map the restaurant floor out for them to know the co-ordinates.”
The robots are able to move along the floor with ease while carrying two trays.
Shan said: “We know from watching videos on YouTube of them in action in China that they are capable of taking trays of drinks.
“You’ve heard our door greeter welcoming you in and saying goodbye to our customers.
“It’s very early days and we are still seeing exactly what they are capable of.
“We hope they will be a great addition to the workplace.
“The kids that have seen them so far have been getting their pictures taken with them.
“We’ve still had workmen in making finishing touches, but customers have still been coming in asking questions.
Shan said some of their human colleagues have been “stopped in their tracks” by their new colleagues.
She added: “I think the staff who have been in have been very surprised by what the robots can do.
“They had to do a double take and have been stopped in their tracks a few times almost mesmerised by them.”
One customer said he was “stunned” when he saw the robots.
He said: “They are incredible. When I came in at first I thought they were statues but I was stunned by what they could do.
“We’ve probably all seen the movies but you never think the technology is going to be that advanced – who knows what’s next?”