Robot Waiter: When Sir James brings the schnitzel

Waiting is a backbreaking job and good waiters are becoming harder and harder to find. So why not hire robot waiters? “Sir James” is on the table – but something falls by the wayside.

The black and white uniform is in place, the plates are full and the guests are hungry: “Sir James” has to go. Although it is significantly smaller than its human colleagues, it can carry significantly more loads.

The waiter robot has been in use in the “Grill au Bois” restaurant in Neunkirchen, Saarland, since November, bringing food and drinks to the guests. He is one of around 40 specimens throughout Germany. On the way to the table, it attracts the guests’ looks – and that’s not just because of the food on its four hotplates.

A publicity stunt? No, says head chef André Folschiller. The fact that he hired a robot after 40 years as a restaurant owner was the only solution to a major problem: the heavy plates with their heavy serving bells were a problem for the waiters. “At a certain point in the evening they said: ‘Boss, you have to take out the plates yourself now’.” And in times of staff shortages in the catering trade, he wanted to avoid any excessive employee wear and tear.

No injuries

Now his staff usually only has to transfer the food from the robot to the tables. This usually works without a hitch. “Sir James” has never stumbled on the fly like his namesake from the television sketch “Dinner for One”. There were only one or two difficulties during the induction, says Julian Klein. “We waiters often got in the way. Then he crashed into someone from time to time.” But there were no injuries, just one or two dirty shirts, he says and laughs.

He is not afraid that robots will one day take away his job completely. After all, “Sir James” doesn’t recommend a good wine with food, and chef Folschweiler doesn’t plan to program it into him either.

“Sir James” costs 16,000 euros

He does not want to replace his employees, but to relieve them. So that waitressing means less dragging around and more customer contact – in short: a more attractive profession for young people.

It could well be worthwhile for him to do without employees in favor of robots: A copy of “Sir James” costs around 16,000 euros – including planning and installation. For a human waiter, the restaurant pays the same amount in about four months.

Service machines as “icing on the cake”

But the guests agree with Folschiller’s reasoning: for them, being served by people is part of the “gourmet restaurant” experience. For them, the robot is just the icing on the cake. “Extraordinary”, “original”, “an eye-catcher” – these are the terms used when addressing customers about the robot.

Younger guests in particular have few reservations about “Sir James”. For them it is only logical that a new generation of waiters has little desire for hard work and therefore welcomes the robot with open arms. Older guests are more reserved, some irritated by the service machines and the idea behind them. Why a robot when a waiter accompanies it anyway?

Gastronomy is late with digitization

Folschiller is not the only restaurateur who sees a solution to his staffing problems in robots. If you believe the manufacturer, the siblings of “Sir James” are selling well. Around 150 robots are on the move in around 100 hotels and restaurants, says Frank Schröder, who is responsible for German sales for the manufacturer. “It gives the restaurants planning security: The workforce is definitely available, even if a human colleague is absent. This gives the landlords the opportunity to give their employees time off on a weekend or a holiday.”

According to Schröder, the digitization of gastronomy comes late, but all the more rapidly. The German catering establishments benefit from the fact that the technology is mature. In Asia, where the robots are made, they have been a common sight for many years.

hospitality instead of care

The Dehoga industry association does not believe that this could also happen in Germany. “The guests don’t want to be taken care of, they want to be entertained,” says Dehoga boss Ingrid Hartges. A restaurant or hotel will only be successful if the personal service is right. And that just doesn’t work with “automatic tray trolleys”.

In Neunkirchen, restaurant owner Folschweiller is still taking the next step: From this summer, three identical service robots will be on the move in the beer garden – unaccompanied. With no human waiter in tow. The guests should take the beer glasses themselves. And in the future there will be a four-day week at the “Grill au Bois”.