A Taste of Tomorrow: Robo-servers ‘Ruby’ & ‘Diva’ roll out the red carpet at ‘The Robot Restaurant’
Ruby and Diva, both donning a vibrant shade of yellow, are the pioneering waitstaff at Lucknow’s inaugural robotic dining establishment, aptly named “The Robot Restaurant - The Yellow House” in Aliganj.
LUCKNOW
In a scene reminiscent of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent tea encounter with a robot in Gujarat, Artificial Intelligence-based robo-servers -- affectionately known as “Ruby” and “Diva -- are now elevating the culinary experience for patrons in the heart of Lucknow. This technological culinary journey takes diners on a delectable voyage, offering Japanese Sushi, Chinese, and Mughlai dishes with a side of innovation.
Ruby and Diva, both donning a vibrant shade of yellow, are the pioneering waitstaff at Lucknow’s inaugural robotic dining establishment, aptly named “The Robot Restaurant - The Yellow House” in Aliganj. The other U.P-based branch of this restaurant is operational in Noida.
Aniket Srivastava, the visionary behind this high-tech dining venture, explains, “The robots operate on an Artificial Intelligence-based system meticulously crafted by our engineers. After a mere 2-3 hours of charging, they can effortlessly serve patrons for over 12 hours. Utilising a sophisticated remote sensor technique, we assign table numbers to the robots through a discreet tablet-like interface situated at the rear of these mechanical maestros. The robots then navigate seamlessly towards the designated table, relying on Google’s cutting-edge navigation technology. If any obstacle obstructs their path, these robots exhibit remarkable grace by halting instantly.”
What sets these robo-servers apart is their ability to communicate with diners. When encountering an obstruction, they politely utter “Please excuse me.” Upon successfully delivering the order to the table, they announce with precision, “Your order has arrived.” And, as patrons take their food, a simple press of the exit button on the left side prompts a gracious departure with the parting words, “Have a nice meal.” These robots even return to their designated positions, as meticulously programmed.
Ankit added, “The response from our customers has exceeded our expectations, with patrons often queuing for tables during peak hours. Our prediction that this unique technological concept would captivate diners has been validated, especially among our younger clientele, who relish capturing selfies with our robot servers.” The restaurant, which opened its doors on August 19, has quickly become a sensation.
“The Robot Restaurant” franchise has seen the addition of Ruby and Diva as invaluable members of its team, significantly reducing the need for human manpower. Jaipur outlet of The Robot Restaurant is running for the last eight years. It was the first indigenous robot restraunt. Earlier, the Chennai outlet was opened in 2017.
While this may be the first of its kind in Lucknow, the concept of robotic dining has been making waves in India. In 2017, Chennai witnessed the country’s inaugural robotic restaurant, “Robot,” inspired by similar Japanese and Chinese eateries. Subsequently, in 2022, Noida and Jaipur followed suit with their own robotic dining establishments.
