Could dining in restaurants staffed with robot waiters and chefs be one of them? Even before the virus hit, smart restaurants were already springing up in China’s biggest cities. The Tai Er chain, which specialises in sauerkraut fish, a popular Sichuan-style dish, has diners order directly from the restaurant’s WeChat account. With digital ordering ubiquitous, robot waiters and chefs are the next logical step. Labour costs accounted for 30.7% of sales last year, versus 19.7% at Tai Er, according to HSBC Holdings Plc.

Source: The Star September 03, 2020 05:37 UTC