In Kenya, robot waiters are making waves and raising questions about the future of human labor. At a bustling restaurant in Nairobi, young adults film robots delivering freshly cooked meals on built-in trays, while children watch and laugh.
Nairobi, often dubbed the “Silicon Savanna,” is a tech hub in East Africa with a vibrant technology sector. Here, in what is believed to be the first Robot Cafe in Nairobi and East Africa, three robots navigate among human waiters, serving meals to intrigued patrons.
These preconfigured robots were purchased for their novelty. Mohammed Abbas, the cafe owner, decided to invest in robotic services after experiencing them in Asia and Europe. He notes that the restaurant is “frequently busy with curious customers” eager to experience robot service and acknowledges that importing the robots was a significant investment.
As his friend records the event from across the table, one patron, Packson Chege, takes a dish of fries from the robot tray. “It’s something unique because I’ve never seen a restaurant like this in Kenya. I think it’s a great idea from the restaurant owner,” he remarked.
The three robots—Claire, R24, and Nadia—cannot engage in extensive conversations but can deliver simple messages like “Your order is ready” and “Welcome.” To retrieve their food from the tray, users must press an exit button, and the robots are controlled by waiters using an iPad application.
Human servers continue to play a crucial role in the cafe, collecting orders from patrons who do not use the online ordering feature. When the food is prepared, waiters place it on the robot tray and personally deliver the drinks. It is anticipated that technology will increasingly impact the global workforce, especially in Africa, where the median age is 19 years.
The cafe management states that while the robots can handle certain tasks, they cannot entirely replace human servers. “The robots cannot fully manage all the services required in the restaurant without the human touch,” said John Kariuki. “Moreover, the robots are very expensive, so opting for robotic service is not a cost-effective solution.”
Hotel sector expert Edith Ojwang suggested that human and robotic service might coexist in the industry. “The hospitality sector is very diverse. Some clients may prefer robotic service and full automation, while others will value the warmth and personal touch of human service. Thus, it’s not a complete threat to human labor,” she said.