Robotic Friend Joins...

Buddy is The Fine Grind’s latest addition to the team. It is a robot programmed to deliver drinks and food to the customers. Buddy comes to The Fine Grind at a time when more and more restaurants throughout the nation are experimenting with automated equipment and robots to see if they are a long-term fit for their businesses.

At The Fine Grind, Buddy is all smiles. The robot’s favorite part of the job is helping the baristas.

“The benefits to the staff of having Buddy are remarkable. Buddy has taken away some of their workload, which has allowed them to continuously get their orders done without having to run on the floor to deliver food and drinks,” said Rhonda Mallek, owner of The Fine Grind.

Buddy’s battery charges at the end of each day so he is ready for the morning shift. Buddy’s main function is to deliver drinks and food to the tables, but the robot also has the capability to return dirty plates and cups once customers are finished.

Buddy is programmed through a computer mapping system from a laptop that it came with. It was programmed to know the location of all the tables by their numbers and seats, (left and right) so it knows where to deliver the orders.

The staff assign it missions, Mallek said, which means that they tell it where to deliver the food and drinks through a back-end computer portal.

“I have an order for you,” Buddy says upon arriving at a table. Customers would then take their items off the tray that sits on top. There is even a “done” button on its computerized face that allows the customers to let it know that they’ve received their orders. Once the delivery is completed, Buddy retreats back to the kitchen.

“The kids love him,” Mallek said. “I’m hoping more people will come here to see him at work because it’s so unusual to see a robot like Buddy at a small business like ours.”

Other than the short phrases Buddy says when delivering the food and drinks, it doesn’t really communicate with the guests, nor does it receive tips.

Buddy was obtained through United Robotics Group, a company whose

By Tina Pappas

LITTLE FALLS, N.J. - It was a lively, spirited evening at the annual “Spring Fling” dance in Little Falls, proving that spring has definitely sprung. The event was sponsored by the the Little Falls Senior

Spring Fling

Citizens Advisory Board and held at the Little Falls Civic Center on April 22 to a packed house.

Seniors enjoyed a great night of food and danced to tunes belted out by John Morano and the Axcents. The band played a long list of classic favorites, which got everyone kicking their heels up on the dance floor. Some of the hit songs they performed were “The Girl from Ipanema” “I’m a Believer” and “Route 66.” The band even performed a fresh take on the “The Electric Slide.” attendees, along with great music and dancing.

The event was free for Little Falls seniors and $10 per person for nonresidents. Bella Notte Italian Restaurant, located at 63 E. Main Street, supplied food for the event.

Council President Anthony Sgobba said the event was a huge success.

“It was a packed house with a lot of dancing and great food!” he said.

Little Falls held its annual Spring Fling dance at the Little Falls Civic Center on April 22. Seniors enjoyed a fun-filled night of great food and music. Mayor James and and Township Council came out to support the senior community during the evening.

Local resident Janet Cohen said the events for seniors in Little Falls are fun and bring about a lot of interaction between

“I think it’s terrific that the town hosts these events and they’re always free for Little Falls residents,” she added. “Everyone gets out and always has a great time.” continued on page 12