Tradition is renewed with technology: at the table with Bob.

Imagine yourself in a beautiful restaurant in Sorrento with a splendid view of the gulf. The waiters hurry between the tables, serving customers with kindness and professionalism .... but between them, 2 robots move with agility, carrying plates and clearing the tables.

You can't believe it, can you?

Yet you are not in a science fiction movie, nor are you living an augmented reality experience... if you were in a science fiction movie, you would surely have fantastic powers... but you are not!

You are at the Circolo dei Forestieri, where Luigi De Maio and Mario Parlato, respectively the owner and manager of the restaurant, have decided to flank the real waiters with 2 robots called Bob.

Reality sometimes surpasses fantasy, don't you think?

These robots are not the usual human-like automatons with arms that deliver plates, but are more like self-propelled platforms with retractable shelves, similar to automatic lawnmowers. Their main task is to clear the tables once customers have finished eating.

Thanks to robots, human waiters can avoid long and tiring walks between the kitchen and the tables: this means more efficient service and less tired waiters.

At this point, however, a question arises spontaneously .

But will robots replace waiters?

Absolutely not. Robots cannot offer that human warmth that makes the real difference for the customer. The courtesy of gestures, a kind word and the professionalism expressed even with a smile are irreplaceable and only a waiter is able to offer them.

The introduction of robots was dictated by the lack of personnel. De Maio and Parlato offered salaries of 1,500 euros, but they were unable to find candidates. The robots, on the other hand, work tirelessly.

Each robot costs about 18,000 euros, which, when compared to the cost of hiring two waiters on a permanent basis, is a much lower and more advantageous amount. Furthermore, the only necessary expenses are those for electricity and maintenance.

The use of robots has had a great media echo, with provocative and sensational headlines announcing the end of waiters. But the reality is very different: robots are only an aid for human waiters, not a substitute.

In a future that promises to be increasingly technological, it is interesting to see how innovation and tradition can coexist in the world of catering. Robots can bring efficiency and convenience, but the human warmth of real waiters will always remain a fundamental ingredient for a unique and special gastronomic experience.