Japan's Skylark rolls out robo-waiters for contactless dining

Restaurants seek solutions to labor shortages as restrictions are lifted

20211017N Skylark robot waiter

Skylark has been testing the robot waiters at family restaurants in Tokyo. (Photo courtesy of Skylark)

RISA KAWABA, Nikkei staff writer

TOKYO -- Dinner will be served robot-style at 2,000 eateries run by Skylark Holdings, Japan's largest operator of family restaurants, by the end of next year.

The robot waiters can ferry food for up to four people to a designated table, then bring dishes back once customers are done eating. In a trial that started in August in Tokyo, the robots cut the number of steps staff members took by half during busy periods.

Sponsored Content

About Sponsored ContentThis content was commissioned by Nikkei's Global Business Bureau.