Robot Incident at Cupertino Restaurant

In a restaurant located in Cupertino, California, a humanoid robot experienced a chaotic moment during its performance, flailing its arms and breaking plates, which led to staff physically restraining it. This occurred at a hotpot venue, where the erratic robot also scattered chopsticks all over the dining area, disrupting the meal for patrons.

Footage of the incident appeared on the Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu, showing several employees trying to manage the situation. Interestingly, one staff member seemed to be checking his phone, possibly looking for an app related to the robot’s operations. The robot in question is identified as the AgiBot X2, which was previously showcased at the Consumer Electronics Show in January.

The incident raised immediate safety concerns, particularly because hot pot dining involves serving very hot soup—with raw meat cooked right at the table. Aside from the hassle of shattered dishes, there was the risk of the robot unintentionally tipping over a pot of boiling soup, which could cause serious burns. Moreover, its random movements posed the threat of blunt force injuries to both diners and restaurant staff.

It’s still uncertain if the restaurant staff were trained to operate the robot’s emergency shutoff, assuming there is one available. Their apparent struggle to control the situation hints at potential gaps in training or protocols for emergency scenarios involving robotic equipment.

In response to the event, the restaurant issued a statement via NBC News, contesting the idea that the robot was malfunctioning. They clarified that the robot was moved closer to the customers at their request, which is not its usual operating setting, and claimed this restricted its movements during the performance.

There’s a growing fascination with robotics in the restaurant sector, with various companies working on automation in food service. Shin Starr is developing fully autonomous kitchen systems, while Pudu Robotics has introduced BellaBot, a robot designed to assist customers by guiding them to their tables and delivering their orders. Notably, BellaBot lacks arms, which might reduce safety hazards when compared to humanoid robots.