Rural eatery introduces robot server, faces strong opposition: ‘We decline’

A Robot Server Sparks ‍Controversy at a Rural Oregon Restaurant

A ‌restaurant in rural Oregon​ has ⁣introduced a robot as a server out of pure desperation amid a staffing shortage, and not everyone is thrilled by the idea.

One patron of The Cazadero in the community of Estacada‍ said he‌ would never return to the business​ after learning⁢ some service encounters might ‌be impersonal, to say the least.

The restaurant’s‍ owner,‍ Sherry Andrus, said ‌she bought a robot named Plato from a company ⁤called United Robotics ⁤Group ⁣because of inflation and an inability ​to find reliable employees.

Plato, a so-called “cobiot” that⁤ is filling in personnel⁢ gaps, wears a funny look on his face but is adept‍ at his job — bringing patrons their food.

Andrus told Fox News her guests can sit down and request⁣ a 100 percent personal ‍experience‍ if they are weirded out by Plato.

But‌ with‌ Oregon’s $14.20 per hour minimum wage, rising overhead, and difficulty‌ finding good help ⁣in the⁣ small city about 45 minutes‍ away from Portland, she had ⁢no other option but to think outside the box.

In ‍March, Andrus traveled to Las Vegas for a bar and⁢ restaurant expo with the⁤ sole‌ purpose of finding help ‌in the⁤ form of emerging technology‌ to ⁤keep her ⁣business afloat.

She shared her excitement about bringing Plato onto ‌her staff with the network.

“I love robots and​ what they can do,” she said. “I think they’re kind of cute and kind of fun.”

When she introduced Plato to⁣ residents‌ of Estacada on her ‍Facebook ‌page, some were less than thrilled.

Given ⁢the human toll of automation, the backlash was so swift she turned off comments on her social media pages.

But before that, one former Cazadero customer wrote, “I will never go there again … NO THANK YOU… Get rid of this we [live] in​ a small a** town ‌why in earth!?”

Hundreds of others shared similar sentiments.

Andrus told Fox News⁤ she​ was stunned by the responses.

“I had no clue that ‌people would literally not want to come to the restaurant because I ‌had a robot,” she said.

But⁣ Andrus ultimately put‍ Plato to work, and⁣ he has been accepted by many of‌ her customers.

One military ⁣veteran from the Vietnam War ⁢era told Fox News he enjoys the novelty of being served⁤ by something that looks as though it could have come out of a science‌ fiction ⁢film.

A man named Roy said, “I say‍ ‘Hi’ to him every time he comes by. I know he can’t answer, but⁤ Mama told me to be polite.”

Plato is also a hit⁤ with‌ children who visit Cazadero.

But the bot doesn’t always interfere with ‌human staffers who often choose to‍ offer good, old-fashioned customer service to⁣ earn their tips.

But Plato has reportedly been‌ helpful on occasion when​ the restaurant is shorthanded. ‌Andrus is committed to keeping Plato on ⁣her ​staff ‌in spite ‍of some of the backlash.

Of course, who can blame a small business owner for doing everything in her power to keep ‌her doors open? The⁣ restaurant business is ‍and always has ‍been a tough one — even when the economy is strong.

While no ⁤one wants to see anyone​ put ​out‌ of a job by artificial intelligence or robotics, it sounds like Andrus simply did what she had to do.

If working-age people in Estacada and ‍nearby areas aren’t willing to apply to join her‌ staff, the ‌technology is there to fill in some of the‌ gaps.

While the idea of having food⁣ brought out by a robot might sound off-putting ​for some, Andrus ‍is using it to keep ⁤herself​ and others earning a living.

Plato⁤ is​ simply a sign ⁢of the times.

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The post Struggling Rural Restaurant Rolls Out Robot Server and Sparks Major Backlash: ‍’No Thank You’ appeared ‍first on The​ Western Journal.

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