Restaurant robot goes haywire, sends tableware flying before breaking out in dance moves

Bizarre footage has captured the chaotic moment a service robot appeared to spin out of control at a restaurant near San Jose, California, violently striking a customer’s food and tableware without warning before abruptly breaking into a series of erratic dance moves. 

The wild incident was captured in a viral video in Cupertino at a Haidilao hot pot location, a chain known for integrating artificial intelligence and robotic technology to help streamline operations, including delivering food to tables.

In the video, the robot appeared to begin a dance routine near diners before suddenly pounding a neighboring table, sending tableware, chopsticks and condiments flying off the surface.

Staff members then struggled to restrain the uncontrollable humanoid as it continued to move with even greater energy, appearing to hype up the crowd with its wild gestures. 

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The robot carried on for another minute with a condiment-stained hand as it displayed a cheerful expression.  

The restaurant reportedly said the robot’s sudden attack on the dining space was caused by human error and was not a programming malfunction. The bot simply appeared too close to the table when it began its entertainment routine.

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“In this case, the robot was brought closer to a dining table at a guest’s request, which is not its typical operating setting,” Haidilao said in a statement, NBC reported. “The limited space affected its movement during the performance.”

The robots, which are more widespread in China than overseas, have been used by the Beijing-based company for years.

In 2022, the tech-forward dining chain launched its first smart restaurant worldwide in Beijing, featuring tools such as an intelligent kitchen management system, automatic broth-mixing machines and robot servers.  

FOX Business reached out to Haidilao for more information.