Japanese restaurant operator Skylark is introducing an innovative solution to plug labour shortages – robot-style waiters.
Two thousand restaurants operated by Skylark Holdings, Japan's largest operator of family restaurants, will use robot cats to serve customers by the end of 2022, according to a Nikkei Shimbun report. The black and white robots, with a digital face display, can serve tables of up to four people and remove the dishes when customers have finished their meals. A trial found the robot waiters were able to cut the number of steps human staff took in half during peak times.
The robot waiters can ferry food for up to four people to a designated table, then bring dishes back once customers are done eating. #Japan's #Skylark rolls out robo-waiters for contactless dining https://t.co/A13uRRLrds
— Nana Shibata (@NanaShibata_en) October 18, 2021
As Japan gradually eases restrictions on day-to-day life, the chronic shortage of workers in the catering industry has become a big issue and Skylark’s robot waiters are expected to help solve the puzzle, and at the same time, minimise human contact and reduce the risk of coronavirus transmission. US$380 million/JP¥43 billion was raised in funding by Skylark in June to implement these robot waiters.
In a time of social distancing, Japan's robotics market is witnessing a major boom. According to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), the robot industry in Japan could be valued at as much as ¥10 trillion/US$90 billion by 2035.
According to a Nikkei Shimbun report, by the end of 2022, 2,000 restaurants operated by Skylark Holdings, a Japan-based company primarily engaged in Japanese-style, Western-style, and Asia-style foods, will deploy robot cats to serve customers. The black and white robots, with a digital face display, can serve tables of up to four people and remove the dishes after customers have finished their meals. The robot waiters were able to cut half of the steps humans took during peak hours, according to a trial test launched in August.
The robot waiters can ferry food for up to four people to a designated table, then bring dishes back once customers are done eating. #Japan's #Skylark rolls out robo-waiters for contactless dining https://t.co/A13uRRLrds
— Nana Shibata (@NanaShibata_en) October 18, 2021
As Japan gradually eases the restrictions on day-to-day life, the chronic shortage of workers in the catering industry has become a big issue and Skylark’s robot waiters are expected to solve the puzzle, at the same time, minimise human contact and reduce the risk of virus transmission. US$380 million/JP¥43 billion was raised in funding by Skylark in June this year to implement these robot waiters.
In a time of social distancing, Japan's robotics market witnesses a major boom. According to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), the robot industry in Japan could be valued at as much as ¥10 trillion/US$90 billion by 2035.
