'Food On': Hong Kong eatery with robots cooking, serving, delivering

From the kitchen to serving tables, a new restaurant in Hong Kong has been automated.

The “Food On” restaurant, located in Hong Kong’s Science Park, deploys machines to replace human workers, including waiters, chefs and even those on the delivery section.

The technology in the new “Food On” restaurant not only makes the best use of kitchen space, but also hygiene, according to the restaurant’s founder, George Mew.

Founder Mew explains the benefits of his outfit: “Instead of traditionally having one floor plan, with the 2D design, you can have two, three, four levels, so that the efficiency of the space can be fully utilized.

“The second reason is food safety, because chefs come with a lot of food safety issues – dirty shoes and falling hair, and sick people bringing Vinto the kitchen.”

For some customers, the automated kitchen still cannot compete with a human chef. But others welcome the idea of food cooked by robots.

Leo Luk, a customer has mixed reactions: “I can tell whether the food is cooked by the machine or by the human chef by the taste. But of course, I believe that with advances in technology, it could be improved in the near future. But for now, I can still feel the difference.”

Kim Lam, another patron: “My favorite dish in this restaurant is fish fillet in cream sauce. I think the sauce tastes better than the one prepared by a human chef.

“It’s because the seasoning is standardized, the dish tastes the same every time I order it here. Also, the food is prepared quickly, which takes only three minutes. It’s very appropriate for busy people like me,” she added.

For those who don’t have enough time to visit the restaurant, “Food On” even has a delivery robot. It is equipped with sensors and can navigate through the corridors, security doors and elevators to deliver orders to the offices close to the restaurant.