Restaurant trends are changing rapidly, mainly after widespread quarantine restrictions. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, many companies feared digitizing their businesses. However, this situation has changed on many levels, including the usage of robots. The demand for robots and their use in the restaurant industry is not the future - it is already a reality.
Nowadays, robots in the restaurant industry are divided into two categories: front of the house (for working with guests) and back of the house (for performing simple tasks in the kitchen). The latter category is more commonly in the networked establishments: manipulator arms for frying burgers, vending machines for preparing salads.
Indoor robots are still a novelty, but their demand far exceeds supply. In response to the current market trends, LeoTronics is developing LeoHelper in our service robot product line - an indispensable assistant in the hotel and restaurant business. It is designed to support staff in enhancing their efficiency. The main area of application of LeoHelper robots is as the waiters.
The use of robotic waiters began in 2006 in China. Over time, this trend has steadily increased, and several reasons contribute to this. First of all, the LeoHelper allows you to save money: the robot does not take time off, can work overtime, and, of course, does not need to be paid wages. Of course, someone might argue that you can't talk to mechanical waiters, get advice and approval from them, but they are hardworking, don't need breaks, get the job done quickly, and don't need a tip. Also, robot use in gastronomy includes a strategic marketing advantage for companies: you can rarely see a robot in a restaurant, and such effects, as is well known, are precious for guests. This type of marketing ploy attracts new guests to the restaurant and expands the company coverage due to social media. And the delight of an expert from a social network is expensive!
There is no basis for fear that robots can jeopardize existing jobs. They are not intended for replacement but instead are applied to complement humans' work. LeoHelper takes on easy and tedious work because it can do it faster and more efficiently than a man. People are still indispensable for complex tasks such as cooking or decorating a dish because they require individual skills.
In addition to delivering food in restaurants, LeoHelper can be used in hotels, medical and spa establishments, used for navigation in shopping centers, and even for disinfection. These fully self-contained units are presented as an automated delivery trolley. LeoHelper can also take orders from visitors via the installed application on a smartphone or through a tablet at the bar.
Already, many establishments work with cloud-based accounting systems, waiters use a smartphone or tablet instead of a notebook with a pencil, and kitchens are equipped with screens with orders. The next step is just around the corner - delegation the monotonous work to the robotic devices.