In China, a Robot's Place Is in the Kitchen

BEIJING--Wang Peixin has seen the future, and he's sure it features robots serving up fried dumplings. On a recent day, a white robot wearing a flowered kerchief rolled across Mr. Wang's Together Restaurant, a plate of pork-and-water-chestnut dumplings upon its built-in tray. As it traveled, it played an upbeat pop tune. A trio of customers hummed along and whipped out their phones to film its journey. "Young people like to pursue what's new, and robots are a fashionable, modern style of service," said Mr. Wang, who owns the Together Restaurant in central Beijing.