Opinion: Excuse me, robot there’s a fly in my sauerkraut fish

A robot waiter waits next to customers amid the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) at a restaurant in Cairo, Egypt. Could dining in restaurants staffed with robot waiters and chefs be a staple of a post-Covid future? — Reuters

Covid-19 has scarred us in many ways, but has also created an opening for disruptive technologies and concepts. Could dining in restaurants staffed with robot waiters and chefs be one of them? China may have an answer.

Even before the virus hit, smart restaurants were already springing up in China’s biggest cities. Small talk with waiters was optional, even discouraged, at busy establishments. The Tai Er chain, which specialises in sauerkraut fish, a popular Sichuan-style dish, has diners order directly from the restaurant’s WeChat account. A waiter only comes over to confirm the order and deliver it. The bill is settled with mobile payment apps such as Tencent Holdings Ltd’s WeChat Pay.