Yesterday’s Sunday Times had a quirky wee story about new advances in robotic barmen. Or rather robotic bar staff as customers can choose whether to have a male of female face displayed on the robot’s monitor.
][1]Apparently, the latest generation of robobar staff can mix a Martini in 20 seconds and is even programmed to deliver a series of quips to make them seem more personable.
According to the report, researchers at a German university have even developed a robobar server that tells very Teutonic jokes. I suspect that the journo may be elaborating a little here but it made me smile.
It’s a fun little piece but the implications for the hospitality industry are dreadful. Get rid of bar staff and waiters in our pubs and restaurants and, effectively, you are left with some sort of automated canteen and where’s the fun in that?
On a related matter, Scotland On Sunday had a report yesterday about the Turnberry Hotel putting their wine list on an iPad.
Ralph Porciani, the hotel’s director of operations, reckoned that guests like it because the iPad can give a lot more information than a standard wine list.
Also, presenting the list in an electronic format was thought to be less intimdating than having a sommelier lean over you.