Are robot waiters the future? Some restaurants think so

By DEE-ANN DURBIN
AP Business Writer

MADISON HEIGHTS, Mich. (AP) — Are robot waiters the future? It’s a question the restaurant industry is increasingly trying to answer. Many think the waist-high machines are the solution to the industry’s labor shortages. They can greet guests, lead them to their tables, deliver food and drinks and ferry dirty dishes to the kitchen. Sales of robot servers have been growing rapidly in recent years, and tens of thousands of robots are now gliding through dining rooms worldwide. Some restaurant owners who use them say they cost less than human servers, but others say they have had trouble with robots breaking down. And robots still have limits; they can’t take orders or navigate outdoor patios, for example.