Robot waiters are here

 

Having a robot serve you a coffee is now possible in Gran Canaria. What previously seemed like a dystopian scene from some science fiction movie can now be experienced in some establishments in the capital of Gran Canaria. Some cafes and restaurants on the island have chosen to test these new services, arousing the curiosity and, on some occasions, the rejection of their customers.

 

 

The main disadvantage that these machines face is the social stigma of “they are taking away a person's job.” Neither the smile they draw on their screens, nor the funny robotic voice, nor some virtual “wink” or even some pre-programmed funny comments when performing their service get many users to have sympathy for this revolutionary restaurant service. Some customers still prefer the proximity of a brief chat about their day with the waiter who serves them their cut rather than being served by a robot with a tray. However, not everything is negative. Many other customers are curious and even find it funny to be served by a robot on wheels that comes to their table carrying a tray with their order.

 

But is this service a real threat to the staff members of a cafe or restaurant? Some workers in establishments that have implemented this service affirm that coexistence is possible and that, while their “robotic companion” distributes orders among the tables of the establishment, the rest of the team can take the opportunity to carry out other tasks such as taking orders, helping in the kitchen. or wash dishes. They also highlight the burden of work that having devices of this style entails, for example, when a tray is specially loaded; thus saving extra effort on the part of the employee and reducing the risk of “accidents” such as falling trays or breaking kitchenware.

 

Some employers in the sector have already begun to explore the possibility of implementing these devices in their workforce. Especially in tourist areas, where these devices could be a great support for waiters when taking notes on tourists' orders, using the “robotic companion” as a tool to overcome the language barrier that many waiters in tourist areas tourists face in their daily lives; either due to the strong accent of their clients or lack of knowledge of the language.

 

The reality is that robots have made the leap from the world of science fiction to the real world and, everything seems to indicate, that we will not only see these “curious” workers in the hospitality sector, so we will have to get used to them . Will long-term coexistence be possible or will it end up becoming a real problem for the labor market?