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The incident happened a few weeks ago at the company’s Main Street Cupertino outlet on Stevens Creek Boulevard. A restaurant employee said the robot had been carrying out a normal greeting and dance performance before things went wrong after someone accidentally activated a more vigorous dance mode, The Mercury News reported.
Wearing a yellow apron bearing the words "I’m good," the robot appeared to malfunction after moving too close to a table, sending dishes and chopsticks clattering onto the floor.
Employees quickly rushed over, with one staff member grabbing the robot from behind while trying to access its control app. As it continued swinging its sauce-covered hands, two more workers joined in, and all three had to duck repeatedly to avoid being hit.
A humanoid robot goes out of control at a Haidilao hot pot restaurant in California, U.S. Video from X
Although the video captured a loud crash, arestaurant employee said the only consequence was a few spilled sauces and no serious damage.
She said the remote-controlled robot is designed to dance, greet customers and perform simple gestures such as forming a heart shape with its hands, giving high-fives or shaking hands. It is not used to serve food.
She added that operations have since returned to normal and the robot is now stationed near the restaurant’s entrance, greeting customers who want a bit of entertainment with their meal.
Haidilao has not yet issued a statement about the incident.
The Chinese company, the world’s largest hot pot chain, operates dozens of restaurants worldwide including two in the San Francisco Bay Area.
