While the notion of robots delivering dishes to tables in a restaurant might be an alien concept to many in Europe, in Japan - Softbank’s home - it’s seen as quite the norm.
Indeed, SoftBank Robotics has robots in restaurants across Japan, with the technology embraced for its ability to ease staff workloads and improve the customer experience.
SoftBank’s tray delivery robots are equipped with a 3D camera and a lidar (light detection and ranging) system, similar to the kind of technology used in self-drive cars.
Their primary purpose is bussing - bringing dishes from the kitchen to the table and vice versa - with humans still on hand to actually serve the dishes to the customer. But with a little imagination, they can have multiple uses for the hospitality industry. From room service, to delivering linen, the possibilities are endless.
Contrary to taking human interaction away from restaurant service, tray delivery robots actually enable staff to be present in the dining room at all times, and thus able to respond immediately to customers’ needs.
SoftBank Robotics general manager Stefano Bensi explains: “Because the waiter isn’t constantly going to and from the kitchen, stuff just happens: customers can order that extra bottle of wine, a side, a pudding, and suddenly you have the average price per sitting going up, and the table turnaround time going down, because when the customer is ready to ask for something it can happen straight away.”
SoftBank Robotics carried out some customer research in Japan to find out just what restaurant staff and customers think about our T5 tray delivery robots.
When asked whether they would like the tray delivery robot to deliver their food again on their next visit, more than 89% of customers said yes.
They also provided some interesting comments on the benefits of the T5, including: “the ability to clear away plates without them piling up on the table made eating a stress-free experience”, “the shopkeeper was not carrying the plates, so it was easy to see and talk to them often”, and “it was fun and exciting”.
As for the staff’s reaction to the T5, 73% said the introduction of the robot had meant they were able to do more tasks at once, while more than 50% said their physical workload had reduced.
The survey revealed an overall increase in employee satisfaction, along with improvements to recruitment, reduced staff turnover and lower training costs.
Staff comments included: “the impression of a good working environment was created, leading to an increase in part-time job applications”; “the tension of carrying food is reduced and the waiter is able to focus on the customer”; “the increased customer service time has enabled staff to take additional orders (and grow monthly sales)”; “the robots work 365 days a year and shifts are easy to organise because there is no need to worry about sudden absences”; and “it has helped with arm pain when carrying heavy plates”.
Bensi admits that it’s in the Japanese culture to embrace technology and gadgets in all areas of life, whereas in Europe there can be resistance to adopting automation.
However, he believes it’s only a matter of time before restaurants in Europe catch on to the advantages of introducing a robot - or “cobot” as they’ve been dubbed in reference to their collaborative work alongside humans.
“In Asia in general they’re so far ahead with this that now the question for them isn’t ‘should I have a robot’ but ‘which robot am I going to choose and how many do I need?’
“This is all very new for European customers but we’re at the beginning of the adoption curve. It will become ‘a thing’ here, just as it already has in Asia, and any restaurant where a robot is viable will have one,” says Bensi.
When he talks about a restaurant where it’s “viable” to have a tray delivery robot, he means one with 15 covers or more, where the kitchen isn’t immediately next to the dining tables, and where the floor surface is even (“no cobbled stone floors”).
Once restaurateurs have ruled out any physical restrictions to having a robot, and they’re happy with the cost, they just need to work out how to adapt their operations, says Bensi.
“Robots are not expensive, the functionality is fantastic, and it’s just a question of awareness and confidence, and a little bit of understanding of how you’re going to incorporate it into your staff procedures.
“We’re on a journey, we can see where we’re headed, and it’s very exciting."
To see the full range of tray delivery robots available from SoftBank robotics, please visit our Tray Delivery page here.