I found a food delivery robot at a nearby family restaurant

The moment when you feel the near future in your daily life. It may be when you encounter a robot. We are finally in an age when we can witness robots working together with people in restaurants. Children are excited! Where are the restaurants in Kyoto and its suburbs where catering robots bring meals to customers? Here is a summary of the latest information on catering robots in Kyoto.

Huh? What's with the cat robot?

The waitress guides me to the table I came to. I immediately look inside the restaurant and see a robot moving silently across the floor! It is apparently not a person bringing dishes from the kitchen aisle. On the table where I sat, there is a sign that says, "A kitty robot may bring your food. Now, will it be brought by a person or a cat robot!　There must be many customers waiting for their food with a sense of excitement. The two cat robots came out of the kitchen, somewhat proudly, as members of the staff, while making the structure of the restaurant well known. Now, at last, they are coming toward your table.

Catering robot with various expressions

The robotization of "customer service," which I had somehow thought was a scene from the near future. In fact, it had already begun at a nearby family restaurant. The display was a cat's face, and a cheerful voice brought us our food, saying, "Please enjoy your meal. In addition, when you pet the cat's ear area, it purred "happy meow," and when passing by people, it changed its voice to a mode of "meow for you to let me pass. When there is no need for it, the face of a sleeping cat is displayed, and when the battery runs out, it purrs repeatedly, "Charge meow. The way it changes its expression is quite adorable. Kids love this cat-shaped robot, so they can spend their waiting time

Human and Convenient Catering Robot

This cat-shaped robot has been introduced by the SUKAIRAKU Group at its chain restaurants nationwide. They can be seen at Gusto, Shabuyo, Juju Karubi, and Bamiyan in Kyoto City. In addition to cat-type robots, commercial catering robots are also beginning to be introduced one after another in areas such as hotel restaurants, cafes, golf courses, and nursing care and welfare facilities.

Cat-shaped catering robots are receiving love calls, especially from restaurants, as a good model for reducing labor costs and providing contactless service for the Corona disaster. It is surprising, however, that the robotization of "customer service," which I had thought was somewhat of a near-future scene, began at a nearby family restaurant.

Restaurants where catering robots can be seen near Kyoto, Japan

Gusto Kyoto Shijo Omiya Gusto Kyoto Marutamachi Gusto Kyoto Nishikyogoku Gusto Kyoto Katsura Gusto Kyoto Jujo-dori Juju Karubi Gojo Takakura Juju Karubi Katsura Minami Shabuyo Restaurant Kyoto Muko Shabuyo Kyoto Rakunan Bamiyan AEON MALL Kyoto Gojo Bamiyan Kyoto Shinhorikawa

Yakiniku Yariki Nishioji Gojo Yakiniku Kingu Kyoto Katsura Yakiniku Kingu Kyoto Yokooji, Route 1 Yakiniku Kingu Kyoto Momoyama Fukusuke Nishijin Store Next to Asunee Ganko Food Service Oyashiki, Takasegawa Nijoen (only for business use on the floor)　 Grand Maison Geihinkan Kyoto Arashiyama, a residence for the elderly (restaurant portion)

Cocos, Kappa Sushi, Garlic Genkotsu Ramen Kagetsu Arashi, Watami, Saizeriya, Denny's, Korakuen, etc.

Will Catering Robots Take Away Human Labor?

On this day, the only time I actually engaged in conversation with a waiter was when I entered the restaurant and paid the bill. Since customers receive their own plates and place them on the table, it is fair to say that there is virtually no human interaction in the restaurant. We are accustomed to the mechanization of cash registers in supermarkets and other places, and we are becoming even more familiar with robots and artificial intelligence in the field of restaurants where conversation is required.

Of course, we don't just have serving robots, we also have people delivering the food! This was emphasized by a staff member at Yakiniku Yariki Yariki's Nishioji Gojo branch. As one of the staff members at Yakiniku Yoriki's Nishioji Gojo branch emphasized, "Of course, it's not just serving robots that deliver the food, but people as well! Customer service that only people can provide is becoming increasingly important.

Some years ago, Pepper, a customer service robot, became a hot topic at Hamazushi, a conveyor-belt sushi restaurant, for reception and seat guidance. However, it did not go so well until it became commonplace. But with the recent introduction of a cat-shaped food delivery robot by Sukayuraku, the robotization of customer service is accelerating at a rapid pace. The day may soon come when robots will be bringing meals to all kinds of restaurants near you!