Robot Waiter

The robot waiter is a classic replacement of a waiter as a catering worker, especially in conditions when for an activity such as catering there is a serious shortage of manpower, primarily waiters. This is why this type of automated (robot) machine can be a significant substitution.
Automation and robotization of the job position of a waiter is, on one hand, an encouragement of the level of innovative solutions in the industry and on the other, it is a serious replacement of this type of staff in conditions when there is a serious shortage in the labor market. At the same time, the robot waiter would raise the attractiveness and the profitability of the business.


In conditions of increasing intensive shortage of labor in the catering, when migration is more apparent, and the job position - waiter, fluctuating, due to frequent job changes from one company to another, or in another country where income is higher, "the robot waiter " can be a serious quality replacement of waiters in the restaurants.
The benefits for the company are manifold. First, the process automation introduces a modern trend of practices that make such facilities more attractive. Second, the use of a "robot waiter" reduces the risk to the owner of the catering facility, at the beginning of each season or throughout the year, to plan whether the employee / waiter may leave for another job, leave the country at all, take care for the payment of compensation for taxes, contributions, etc., to take care of compliance with the employment rights, which are subject to serious legal regulations, as well as the compliance with many standards to which catering as an activity is generally subject everywhere in the world. Third, given the seasonal nature of catering and tourism (although Greece is generally a tourist destination), the "robot waiter" can be a much simpler solution in the effort to provide reliable staff in various seasons, as well as at the pick of the tourist season.


Tourism is one of the most important sectors of the Greek economy and a key pillar of economic growth. Tourism GDP accounted for 6.8% of total GVA in 2017. The sector directly employed 381 800 people in 2018, accounting for 10.0% of total employment in the country.
Greece has a serious shortage of catering workers, waiters and cooks, as a large number of catering workers are looking for work in other countries for higher monthly salaries.
Catering and tourism provide a quarter of the Greece's national income, but mainly relies on foreign staff working as waiters, cleaners, bus drivers and cooks. The tourism industry in Greece currently lacks more than 50,000 workers, mainly kitchen and service staff. In 2019, there were 31.3 million tourists. Without a proper staff, one of the most important activities on which the Greek economy relies, has been put into question.

Considering that the robot waiter will be a classic replacement for the physically present waiter, its functioning in the catering sector (cafes, bars, restaurants) will mean saving of the company funds for waiters’ salaries, contributions and taxes payable to the state on the basis of employment, allocation of funds for staff training, funds to be saved for salaries in the off-season, the need to provide accommodation for the waiters (especially considering that most of the waiters are foreign nationals from other countries, for which accommodation must be provided). Saving the funds for the employees, in fact, provides greater productivity in the work and reduces the risk factor of lack of workers. In addition, the attractiveness of of using this type of waiters attracts more attention of the visitors.

The team that will work on developing this idea does not have much practical experience, but given that such robot waiters already exist in other countries (Australia and China), their experience and measurements may be a solid basis for creating the robot waiter for the needs of the Greek catering market.
Such project for a tourist country as Greece, which depends on the survival of tourism that provides a quarter of the total GDP, in conditions of labor shortage, has different specifics that give the product a unique characterization:
- reduction of the risk factor for labor shortage (waiters) every next season;
- economic benefits from the safe investment and reduction of the risk factor from the financial cost of salaries and stimulation of workers for the profession of a waiter, as well as the cost for retaining workers in the off-season time.
- monitoring and application of modern trends in automation and robotization;
- attraction;