The rise of robot waiters in Malaysia, driven by labour shortage in F&B sector

Designed to complement human wait staff, robot waiters typically have a shelf life of five years. — JOHNNY’S

At the cavernous, sprawling Artisan’s Playground in Kuala Lumpur, I finish ordering a meal of smoked duck – via QR code, as is the norm these days.

Ten minutes later, I watch in awe as a cute little robot trundles gracefully to my table, pausing for a second when a man inadvertently walks just in front of it, before resuming its journey and landing smack dab right in front of my table – with my smoked duck secured safely on one of the four trays that make up its core structure and functionality.