Shelley the robot waitress brings food to your table at Ringwood’s Spacewalk Cafe
Her name is Shelley and she’s wowing customers in Ringwood by helping deliver their meals. But she’s not your typical waitress — she’s been imported from China and is fully mechanical. Watch her in action.
Outer East
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Robot dining has arrived in Ringwood.
Spacewalk Cafe — the brainchild of Doncaster East university friends Marco Chan and Kenny Lee — opened on Wantirna Rd last month.
It’s a typical lunch and brunch cafe with a twist — they have imported Shelley the robot from China as its star waitress.
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Shelley is programmed to deliver items to one table at a time, and staff key in the table number on a touchscreen when an order is ready.
She then glides down the path, lined with signals to stop her at each table, and delivers food and drinks to diners.
“In China, it’s very popular, but in Australia, I don’t think any restaurant or cafe has a robot waiter,” Mr Lee said.
“Robots make the kids really happy and we just want to try the idea in Australia.”
Mr Lee said he ordered Shelley through another university friend whose family makes the robots in China.
He didn’t say how much Shelley cost — but did say it cost him a fortune in shipping.
And in keeping with the galactic theme, the cafe’s menu items have space-themed names.
They include tasty all-day breakfast options such as Galaxy (smashed avo and corn fritters), Milky Way (scrambled eggs with kale and soy sauce) and Aurora (blueberry waffles with caramelised banana).
Children’s meals are also served on funky spaceship plates.
Mr Lee said depending on the cafe’s success, Shelley might be joined by more robot waitresses in future.
Spacewalk Cafe is at 52 Wantirna Rd, Ringwood.
Details: 9879 5987.
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