Meet the robot waiters making waves in Kenya

A new dining trend is emerging in the center of Nairobi, where patrons can mingle with robots that move between tables with effortlessness, completely changing the way Kenyans perceive hospitality.

Kenya’s Robot Cafe is currently the first robotic restaurant in East Africa and the second on the continent to use humanoid robots as waiters, per Daily Maverick. With names like Nadia and Claire to make them more relatable, the two-month-old establishment’s robot waiters have quickly garnered local curiosity as they go between tables taking orders.

John Kariuki, the manager, reassures that the three robots are largely for entertainment and cannot completely replace the human touch, which is vital to the restaurant.

Kariuki told AP News, “At no point are the robots able to fully function in all the services and everything that are supposed to be ongoing in the restaurant without the human touch.”

He added, “The robots are actually way too expensive for us to acquire, so if you are trying to save money it is not going to work if you choose to go the robotic way. But we believe that customers deserve to have the technology that is also available in developed countries so that they also experience a few things that are not available in the country. So we incorporated the robots basically for entertainment because that is what our target customers want.”

To further eliminate worries, the cafe still employs personnel like Gladys Guda, who explained, “At times we get really busy. More so on weekends. So when the house is packed, we have ten waiters on the floor and three robots. So these robots are our colleagues; they have names; they help us with the service and their service is perfect.” There are about 52 employees in total.

In the meantime, it’s amazing to watch how technology is advancing in Africa and even into the restaurant sector. This invention fits into a larger pattern in Africa’s hospitality sector, which is utilizing AI-powered customer care, contactless check-in, and mobile payments to improve visitor experiences.

How the robots work

At the table, patrons scan a QR code to access the menu and place an online order. When the food is done, a bell rings to alert a human waiter, who places it on a robot’s tray. The robot brings it to a table after a few directions are entered on an iPad.

The robots are charged overnight after a hard day’s work. With the use of specialized software, they are managed by a central command center.

While the United States, China, Japan, and other countries have long used robotic waiters in restaurants, many people in East Africa are experiencing this for the first time.

One can tell it is working as more and more customers give great feedback. One customer, Packson Chege, told the outlet, “I can say it is something unique because here in our country, Kenya, I have never seen a restaurant like this one, so I think for me, it’s a good idea from the owner of this restaurant.”

Another diner, Baraka Learat, captivated by this blend of technology and human interaction, said, “At first, I thought it was a joke, but it’s real. The robot came up, slowed down, and said, ‘Welcome.’ I wasn’t expecting that. It’s an exciting experience. I’ll definitely come back. The robots are a peek into the future, even though there’s still a human touch missing.”