Serving humanity, one diner at a time: Chinese restaurant with robot staff delights noodle-lovers

They say robots will one day serve mankind - in which case you can consider this an entrée.

For if you pay a visit to this restaurant, in downtown Harbin, China, you will find 18 robots - from a waitress to a cooker to an usher - ready to ensure your dining experience is perfect.

The restaurant has 18 types of robots, each gliding out of the kitchen to provide your dish, with specialty robots including a dumpling robot and a noodle robot.

When a diner walks in, the usher robot extends their arm to the side and, with a sci-fi flourish, says 'Earth Person, Hello, Welcome to the Robot Restaurant.'

The future is now: The restaurant in Harbin, China, uses 18 different types of robots, including dumpling robot, noodle robot, cooking robot, waitress robot and usher robot

The future is now: The restaurant in Harbin, China, uses 18 different types of robots, including dumpling robot, noodle robot, cooking robot, waitress robot and usher robot

To serve man: After a dish is prepared, a robot waiter, which runs along tracks on the floor, carries it from kitchen to table

To serve man: After a dish is prepared, a robot waiter, which runs along tracks on the floor, carries it from kitchen to table

Here to serve: Another robot leaves the kitchen with a plate of food, following the floor tracks to find the right diner

Here to serve: Another robot leaves the kitchen with a plate of food, following the floor tracks to find the right diner

After the diners have ordered, the robots in the kitchen set to work cooking.

Once the dish is prepared, a robot waiter, which runs along tracks on the floor, carries it from kitchen to table.

Prepared dishes are placed on a suspended conveyor belt and when the plate reaches the right table the mechanical arms lift it off and set it down.

As they eat, a singing robot entertains diners.

All the robots in the restaurant were designed and made by the Harbin Haohai Robot Company.

Chief Engineer Liu Hasheng, said they invested 5 million Yuan (about £500,000) in doing the restaurant, with each robot costing 200,000 to 300,000 Yuan (around £20,000 to £30,000).

He comments: 'Staff in the computer room can manage the whole robot team.

'After the busy times during the day, the robot will go for a "meal", which is electricity'.

Liu added that after a two-hour charge the robot can work continuously for 5 hours.

The restaurant now provides a menu with more than 30 dishes, and for the average cost for a diner is £4 to £5.

In 2010, another robot restaurant opened in Jinan in northern Shandong province, where robots resembling Star Wars droids circle the room carrying trays of food in a conveyor belt-like system.

More than a dozen robots operate in the restaurant as entertainers, servers, greeters and receptionists.

A drinks robot serves the beverages, although on this occasion it looks like he has a little help from a human assistant

A drinks robot serves the beverages, although on this occasion it looks like he has a little help from a human assistant

One of the carrying robots is a helpful dog, who also trundles on the prepared tracks

One of the carrying robots is a helpful dog, who also trundles on the prepared tracks