No matter how you slice it, a waitress in a Pakistan pizza parlor is turning heads.
That’s because “she” is a robot.
Osama Jafri, who designed the 55-pound robot, dressed it to resemble a short, slender woman wearing a long dress and apron, WRAL reported, citing an Associated Press story. Jafri also added a scarf as an accessory so the robot would not offend conservative patrons.
Jafri said sales at Pizza.com in the town of Multan have doubled since the arrival of the robot in February. His father, Aziz Jafri, who owns the restaurant, said he has three more “waitresses” and plans to open a new store.
Robot waitresses are not new; a restaurant in Beijing employed a metallic server at the Together Restaurant. Still, the idea of a non-human waitress is a novelty.
Patrons may be amused or confused, especially if one wonders what to tip a robot waitress -- if anything. Aziz Jafri is relishing the attention.
“I used to sell pizzas, but now restaurant owners want to buy robots from me,” Aziz Jafri told the AP.
About the Author
