GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colo. — A Glenwood Springs restaurant is serving up traditional food but is doing it with some untraditional employees.
Everest Nepal Restaurant is using two robots to serve the food.
"It is a combination of the new and old," said Everest Nepal Restaurant owner Maink Sakya.
Like many business owners, Sakya has struggled to hire workers. So he bought two robots that take food from the kitchen to the customers in his restaurant.
"It will deliver the food from the kitchen to each table," Sakya said. "One by one, it can serve it and can deliver the food three to four tables at a time."
Sakya can tell the robots – who he calls Bella – where to go, and they do it all day long.
"The best part of the robot is it’s always on time, it's never tired, it does not argue. They are the best thing," Sakya said.
Unlike most servers, these robots will let you touch their ears, but only for a little while, because they want to get back to work.
"They say 'don't touch me, let me work,'" Sakya said. "If they get blocked, it says 'let me go, let me work, I need to go to work.'"
The robots cost about $25,000, but Sakya said that is less than he spends on an employee in one year. The robots also bring in business with people who want to see them.
"When the robot comes to the table, they smile," Sakya said. "They say, 'This is coming here to bring the food,' and they are happy."
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