Denny's robot server sparks employment concerns
A video shot b y a customer of a Denny's restaurant robot named 'Janet' serving breakfast prompted concerns about automation and the loss of jobs. The video, shared by TikTok user @miabellaceo, gained over 470,000 views. It showed Sunny carrying plates of food on in-built shelves. While a waitress took orders and served coffee, Sunny was responsible for delivering the food. The reactions to the video were mixed. Some users saw the benefits of robot servers, such as punctuality, lack of complaints, and absence of interpersonal drama. Others, however, were less receptive. Some users threatened to boycott Denny's or walk out if served by a robot. Concerns were also raised about job security, especially for long-term employees. The use of robot servers came amidst a US national labour shortage, notably in the food industry. Denny's, among other restaurants, had turned to robot servers as a potential solution. The controversy surrounding the robot server at Denny's highlighted the ongoing debate about the role of automation in the service industry. System 🤖 Bear Robotics Servi 🔗 Operator: Denny's Developer: Bear Robotics; Softbank Country: USA Sector: Food/ food services Purpose: Serve food Technology: Robotics Issue: Employment
- Date it happened
- 2021-11-01
- Organisation involved
- Denny's
- Product, system or model
- Bear Robotics Servi
This incident was imported from AIAAIC and is used under CC BY-SA 4.0. Our additions to it — the structured fields, the translation, the checks against other reports — are published under the same licence.
This is a record of what was reported, not a finding that anyone broke the law. If it names your organisation and you believe it is wrong, the corrections process is free and open to everyone.