Restaurant chain Bella Italia trials ROBOT WAITERS to help address the hospitality staff shortage

A cat-shaped robot server has worked its first shift in a UK restaurant to help address staff shortages. The BellaBot, a delivery robot created by Chinese tech company Pudu, was recruited by the Bella Italia branch at Center Parcs Whinfell Forest in Cumbria. The robot can zip between tables and the kitchen, with human staff or customers only required to load and unload the trays. The trial by Big Table Group, owner of Bella Italia, Café Rouge, Las Iguanas and other UK restaurant chains, marks the first time the BellaBot has been used in a large restaurant setting. The company said it launched the trial in an effort to'boost innovation and elevate the dining experience', and that it was now'the largest restaurant chain in the UK to introduce robot technology'.