Restaurant Customers React to First Encounters with a Robot Server

Have you met a robot waiter?

Apparently, they’re out there at restaurants around the country and spanning the globe. And people who meet these robot servers have some mixed reactions to what they’re seeing.

Check it out. This is the BellaBot, as captured by @jarl_grimm_on_tour on TikTok at Belle Italia:

@jarl_grimm_on_tour The Bellabot robot waiter at Belle Italia #robot #robotwaiter #centerparcs #whinfellforest #centerparcswhinfell #bostondynamics #pizza ? Terminator 2: Judgment Day Theme – Everrune

BellaBot is manufactured by Pudu Robotics. It features a multi-tiered tray system that’s conveyed around the restaurant floor delivering meals and taking orders from customers.

Customers are greeted by BellaBot through a screen on the front that has a cat-like face and features. You can see that it’s cat-like qualities are not lost on some restaurant goers, as @ainchanbot saw recently, in this video showing some restaurant customers actually petting the BellaBot.

The video shows the BellaBot seeming to enjoy the attention.

@aichanbot ??? my God love the cat waiter in my favorite restaurant ??? #mannheim #senjurestaurant #catrobot #caitmachine #cateringmashine #waiterrobot #cute #kawaii ? ?????????????????? – Renai Circulation

BellaBot is not the only model of robot waiter on the market right now. But it seems to be the most popular, initially.

When the robot server is done hobnobbing with customers and collecting orders in the dining room where they’re deployed, the robot waiter then heads back to the kitchen to have customer orders filled and then returns it to the table.

Robot servers also tend to customers’ needs during the meal, like drink refills and any special requests.

TikTok user @godlovessophiia_ says in this video that she’s not sure how to feel about a different style robot waiter deliver her food.

This robot server is being used at a Denny’s restaurant, where apparently an actual human employee is still there to get food from the robot’s trays to give to customers. So, it’s more like a robot food runner instead of a server.

@godlovessophiia_ I got scared ??? #robot #robots #robotsontiktok #robotwaiter #robotwaitress #technology ? original sound – Sophia Michelle

Here’s another style of robot waiter at the famous Skyline Chili in Cincinnati, Ohio. The kids don’t seem to think it’s strange at all.

@michaelshawnmccabe New robot server at Skyline Chili. #skylinechili #skyline #chili #cincinnati #robot #robots #server #waiter #ohio ? Cincinnati, Ohio – Connie Smith

Not all the robot servers are so … well, robotic. Here’s a robot waitress captured at a restaurant by @moneydogfilms. However, this robot waitress, complete with a red apron and kerchief, looks like it’s a bit lost.

@moneydogfilms Help robots are taking over plz help this is urgent. #robot #robo #robotwaiter #ai #viral #fyp ? original sound – Money Dog Films

And this robot waiter has some explaining to do after rolling away with part of a customer’s order.

@caitlyn5kids This is too funny!!! #dennys #robotic #fyp #breakfast #momsoftiktok #mom #grandma #grandpa #date #food #eat #gottabequickerthanthat #foryourpage #foryou #foryoupage #funny #humor #pointless #viral #tiktok #4u #fyp #family #live #love #dude #wtf #giveittome ? Quicker – LOM Rudy