Robot Waiters Tested in Finland | Can Tech Ease Restaurant Workload?

Описание: Robot in the Restaurant, a unique experiment that aims to ease the everyday work of restaurant staff.

The TyhyTeko project at Savonia University of Applied Sciences is taking the next step in developing workplace well-being, as two local companies participate in a pilot that mingles robotics and automation. The new robot supports daily restaurant tasks and helps to reduce the staff’s workload.

The testing of the robot started at the end of May this year, and data has been collected since then. The experiment will continue until 27 June 2025. The experiment will provide practical information on how technologies that make everyday work easier can support employee well-being and the smooth running of operations.
SHOTLIST
DATE: Recent

[Antti-Petteri Karhunen, journalist, Yle] [00:00] At Spa Hotel Rauhalahti in Kuopio and Kunnonpaikka in Siilinjärvi, a restaurant robot is being tested. The robot is programmed to deliver food from the kitchen to customers.

[Toni Sallinen, Head of Restaurant Operations, Kunnonpaikka] [00:11] Enter the table number like that, and start.

[Antti-Petteri Karhunen, journalist, Yle] [00:13] This is a new technology development project by Savonia University of Applied Sciences for the restaurant and tourism sector.

[Toni Sallinen, Head of Restaurant Operations, Kunnonpaikka] [00:20] Our work involves a lot of moving around and using our hands, so in the future, this could possibly be a big help for us.

[robot waiter] [00:29] I am an expert at delivering food. Enjoy your meal.

[Interviewee: Neea Ukkonen] [00:34] It was definitely an exciting experience. I’ve never received food from a robot before or had one deliver my meal.

[Varpu Mäntymäki, journalist, Yle, Siilinjärvi] [00:43] How about you?

[Interviewee: Jesse Jormala] [00:44] It was a nice experience, and the robot definitely made an impression with its work—it clearly knows what it’s doing already.

[Varpu Mäntymäki, journalist, Yle, Siilinjärvi] [00:51] What do you think, could this be the future?

[Interviewee: Neea Ukkonen] [00:54] Personally, I like personal service and having a human there, but I can definitely see that in the future, there could be more robots like this.

[Varpu Mäntymäki, journalist, Yle, Siilinjärvi] [01:06] Could a robot like this even replace employees?

[Toni Sallinen, Head of Restaurant Operations, Kunnonpaikka] [01:10] I don’t believe so. I’m pretty confident that robots will be an extra pair of hands, but we still need people and genuine customer encounters.