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Like home computers, robots receive regular software updates that upgrade function and performance. That includes a catalog of phrases and songs. The robots play everything from pop to classical music, also serving as audio cues that they are passing through. At Hot Pot City at Asia Mall in Eden Prairie, a robot delivered dessert to a birthday girl while playing a happy birthday tune.
Some even have speaking roles.
“Excuse me, here I am” and “Here I am, coming through,” robots chimed at Shinhwa in Roseville and Dragon Pot in Richfield as they moved through the room.
Although meant to make life smoother, the robots come with caveats beyond the occasional technical glitch.
“Like any restaurant technology, robot waiters have their limits. They break down. They don’t work well with stairs or the outdoors,” according to a report from Restaurant HQ. “They aren’t as maneuverable as a human and need more space to operate in. And, of course, they don’t have the capacity of humans to deal with the unexpected or empathize with a customer.”
The report cited the 2020 move by Chili’s restaurant chain to bring robot servers, all named Rita, to 61 locations, only to put the move on pause two years later. “It found Rita was too slow, got in the way of the human servers, and didn’t significantly enhance customer experience. They may not work well for soups or drinks, either.”