A coffee shop is using a robot waitress to serve drinks to customers.
The Black Canyon cafe introduced the ‘Pudobot’ last month to one of its branches in Bangkok, Thailand.
The device cuts costs and limits the contact between staff and customers, which could prevent transmission of the Covid-19 coronavirus.
It also improves efficiency and hygiene, according to Prawit Chitnarapong, who runs the chain of shops.
Footage shows how customers order at the counter before taking a seat at a table. Staff then load meals and drinks onto the shelves of the robot before keying in the table number.
The Pudobot is programmed to travel to each number table and has sensors to avoid bashing into customers.
Staff and customers have been so impressed with the robot waitress that managers now plan to use them to receive orders, accept payments, collect the orders and deliver them to the correct customers.
Chief Executive, Prawit, said the Pudobot could revolutionise the coffee shop industry by improving efficiency.
He said: ”In the future, there will be an increase in efficiency, with the robot able to take orders and also accept payments.
”Importantly, we don’t want the use of robots to replace the workforce, but to increase work efficiency, especially in the new age of life where we need to maintain social distancing when a large number of customers are entering the store.”
