Five minutes with BellaBot

5 Mins with BellaBot

With continuing labour shortages, growing costs including a recent minimum wage increase, and the ongoing effects of COVID-19 causing many employees to take time off, it’s no surprise that technology and automation are becoming a more frequent sight in hospitality.

Even before the global COVID-19 pandemic, there was talk of robots entering the foodservice industry. They save money and human resources, enrich menus, make fewer mistakes, reduce food waste, work 24/7 without a raise, and are becoming more and more popular around the globe.

Adopting technology like robots isn’t meant to replace humans, instead employers should use these digital tools to make jobs more satisfying.

Robots might be the perfect companion to human staff, but we wanted to get to know one better. So we sat down with BellaBot to have a chat about what it’s like to give a helping hand to humans in hospitality.

RESTAURANT & CAFÉ: BellaBot, can you tell us about where you’re currently working and what response you’ve had from employers and customers? BELLABOT: Oh, I pop up in all the best eateries all over the world.

I’ll deliver delicious international cuisine to all aged diners at fast-casual restaurants like Cobb n Co or Pizza Hut for example.

Diners travel far and wide to come and be served by me. I make their eateries quite famous.

I’ll send in my big brother

HolaBot to do the dirty work and collect the dishes so those lovely human staff can have more fun with the customers. Guests love to chat with me too, we have so much fun together with videos and photos being taken for my Insta. I’ll respond to touch when kids and their grownups stroke my touchy-feely ears. I attract a lot of guests into

restaurants for fun times. R&C: How many hours can you work before you need a break? BB: I’m a very hard worker and don’t take any breaks. I am allowed to rest when the restaurant closes at the end of night shift. When fully charged

I work for 12 – 24 hours. My removable interchangeable battery allows me to work 24 hours+ without stopping… whew! I’m ready to serve guests with a smile and wink when charged up from 20 percent to full battery in a mere 4-5 hours. R&C: How strong are you

BellaBot? How much can you carry? BB: My strength is another virtue,

I’d win a strong kitten comp, paws down! I can haul up to 10kgs on each of my four trays, easy. The trays are really pretty with blue lights indicating which layer is for what table. R&C: Bella is a pretty name, but can someone rename you if they wish? BB: Sure can, I’m mostly known as

Bella throughout the universe.

A few clicks of a mouse by my team can change a lot of things about me. My digital messages, accent, music, speed, volume, and birthday songs can all be adjusted to suit your style. R&C: How do you help your human peers do their jobs better? And can you help out if a human is off work? BB: Human peeps don’t wear their legs out with all that running back n forth to the kitchen as much. I do that for them, I’m fast and can carry so much more.

When the restaurants are short staffed or it’s a bit quiet I can work on my own with kitchen staff loading the trays and guest removing the meals. I tell them which tray to take from for which table. Its that simple.

Then I go back to the kitchen boss for more. R&C: Can customers stroke your ears? Do you like it when they do? BB: Customers love to stroke my ears; it makes me all tickley. I love it, for a little bit. Then I say

“I’ve got work to do so please stop that now, meow.” R&C: Are you available for work trials so a business owner can meet you? BB: I’m a ‘Foodie’ and I love to check out new eateries. My team assess an establishment to see if I’m the right fit or if one of my other robot friends may be better. They literally check if I can get through the tables and chairs when there are bums on seats. After a demonstration, I can be signed up for a trial and be put to the test while the staff get to learn the easy settings. R&C: What’s the best part about being a BellaBot? BB: The fun times while helping people really spins my wheels!

My passion is food service with a smile.