OrionStar Robotics and Rocky Mountain Robotec are to unveil a fully-automated restaurant at this coming weekend’s National Restaurant Association (NRA) Show in Chicago.

This integrates AI-powered robots with self-ordering and self-checkout devices, kitchen display systems (KDS), table trackers and robot call buttons, enabling the robots to perform multiple roles, from order takers and food runners to table bussers. Their seamless integration into existing workflows can optimise restaurant efficiency and enhance customer satisfaction.

The Robot Kiosk’s order and pay system integrates with restaurant PoS systems, allowing diners to order and pay directly through the robot while supporting three payment methods: third-party payment, credit cards or server call. The user experience is enhanced with voice interaction and touchscreen operation.

A smart positioning system integrates with a restaurant’s PoS system, table tracker and delivery robots, allowing diners to choose seats and associate orders with tables. The table tracker will assist robots in identifying the correct table for meal delivery.

A meal delivery system uses delivery robots to transport food and drinks from the kitchen to the table. When the meal is ready, the KDS calls the robot to the pick-up area, and the robot autonomously delivers it to the table. Cup holders are provided for drink stability; up to 30 robots can collaborate to improve efficiency.

Diners can summon a robot to their table with a button for ordering more food or returning dirty dishes.

Bill Gu, CEO of Rocky Mountain Robotech, a technology company based in Colorado, commended Chinese firm OrionStar Robots for its hardware components and open software platform. He praised its potential for voice interaction capabilities, achieved through the integration of ChatGPT and Google Dialogflow.

A restaurant owner in America reported that OrionStar’s robot transformed their dining experience. With 500 daily delivery tasks, two delivery robots completed 400 deliveries over 15km and automated 80% of tasks. Staff focused on table service, increasing tips, with one server earning over $300 daily.

OrionStar Robotics was founded in 2016. It has deployed over 48,000 robots in more than 40 countries.