Ever wondered how it would be if a robot served sizzling kebabs and biryanis at your favourite restaurant? The future has arrived in a Dubai restaurant serving Indian cuisine, which has introduced a robot waitress to serve customers.

Entering the Drink and Spice Magics Restaurant in Bur Dubai, one can easily spot a kinetic track on the floor on which Ruby, the robot waitress, moves from one table to another.

Once the orders are placed on the two trays she carries, Ruby moves through the rail, blinking her digital eyes, to reach the table she has been assigned to. She also plays music to make customers happy on their birthdays, anniversaries or other special occasions. She turns around after the dishes are placed on the table for her next assignment.

In his first venture – both in the UAE and hospitality – Arif Mohammed, managing director of 4am Group, said he was inspired by the futuristic vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

“I have been regularly visiting Dubai from 2005 and the city kept amazing me. The vision of a great leader and his ambitions made me realise how we should be rooted in our culture and explore modern technology,” said Mohammed, an avid lover of technology.

A software engineer by profession hailing from Gorakhpur near Lucknow, India, Mohammed’s interest in hospitality began with his constant travel across the globe.

“During a trip to Japan, I found robots functioning in every turn of day-to-day life. I was intrigued by robot waitresses and decided to introduce the concept in my new venture.”

The restaurant, next to the Burjuman metro station, is all about luxury at an affordable rate, he said.

“I was always at the receiving end of the hospitality sector, hopping in and out of hotels. I could see the potential of what I could offer to the sector. In Dubai, where there are many amazing restaurants and cafes, I wanted to introduce a fusion of heritage and modernity. Automation is soon turning into a reality here, much faster than we can imagine, and hence, I decided to launch my dream here,” he said.

“Ruby is just the beginning of blending Indian cuisine with futuristic service,” said Mohammed. “My plan is to open over 100 restaurants across the GCC in the next two years as I believe in chain restaurants concept. My next two outlets – Dubai and Saudi Arabia – will be open by this October. They will have at least five to six robots and will feature unique technologies’, new to the markets.”

Source: www.khaleejtimes.com