26th August 2019

Robot restaurant opens in southern India

A new restaurant has opened in the southern Indian city of Bangalore where customers are served by a team of robots.

The restaurant, which can accommodate up to 50 diners at a time, features a total of six robots – one usher and five bearers. Each table includes a tablet where customers can place their orders and summon the robots. The menu consists mainly of Indo-Asian cuisine and also has an exotic list of mocktails.

"Bangalore already has a wide variety of culinary experiences and we are confident that the robots will be welcomed with open arms in Bangalore," said founder Venkatesh Rajendaran, speaking at the launch. "Bangalore has been a dream for us at Robot Restaurant and it's a happy and proud day for the team to see our dream come true. We are confident that Bangaloreans will enjoy the food and the ambience and with that the robots are at your service." Human staff are also employed and trained to assist with "any issues", according to Mr. Rajendaran.

The robot waitresses each have their own names: Alice, Arya, Ramya, Sansa and Zoey. They are interactive, with built-in facial recognition and can sing birthday wishes or be programmed for other special occasions. The restaurant was designed with extra space between aisles, allowing the robots to navigate seamlessly.

"An average of 500 to 600 people visit the restaurant per day in a matter of seven hours, and we are delighted to see how excited everyone is. We have had no free minute at work since the launch," said Karthikeyan Ramesh, general manager.

This launch follows earlier restaurants that were opened in Chennai and Coimbatore. The company is now planning five additional branches in Bangalore owing to the resounding success and high demand and is even looking at expanding abroad: "We have been getting requests and invitations from across the country to begin operations for a similar restaurant," said Rajendaran. "As of now, we have planned to begin the same abroad – in the Middle East – one in Saudi Arabia and another one in Dubai, as well."

Video courtesy of TGF – The Guiding Factor:

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