Sena told me about a news story she read about robot waiters in restaurants. I guess that’s a thing nowadays. It’s not hard to imagine things going wrong with that.
In fact, I saw one article about a dancing robot in a restaurant that didn’t just bust a move—it busted a few dishes.
How do you tip a robot server? On its head (rim shot)?
There just happen to be robot waiters in a restaurant in Davenport, Iowa. It’s California Pho. The owner praises them a lot, in between giving them oil and lube jobs. Mainly, they fill a staffing shortage.
While I have some “reservations” about robots (see what I did there?), especially those with Artificial Intelligence (AI) gears, it makes me wonder where all this might lead. Could robot waiters form a union and demand higher grade transmission fluid? Could they lobby Congress to pass legislation protecting the robotic right to do line dancing in the aisles between tables?
What if this gets way out of hand and owners let robots do the cooking? Would they be equipped with flame thrower nozzles on their finger tips and allowed to flambé at the table? “Stand back; I’m also programmed as a burn surgeon!
Will robot waiters be programmed to be ready for quick solutions to uncommon problems?
Customer: Waiter, there’s a fly in my soup!
Robot Waiter: Hold on sir, I’m equipped with a fly spray nozzle!
Customer: Waiter, there’s a battery in my soup!
Robot Waiter: That’ll be no extra charge, sir and—can I have it back?
Will these robot waiters be like Sonny, the robot in the movie “I, Robot”, winking broadly as it hands you the outrageous bill—while pointing a laser gun at your head?
Go Retire Psychiatrist 
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