The first AI-powered robot restaurant in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang Province, opened for business in late January, attracting large numbers of local residents eager to try a new style of dining, Zhejiang Daily reported.

The restaurant replaces traditional chefs with robots that stir-fry, boil noodles, brew coffee, make ice cream, deliver dishes and even clean the floor, creating a production line that runs without human cooks.

"The dishes are really fragrant. If you didn't tell me in advance, you wouldn't know they were cooked by robots," said Yu, a 65-year-old diner, after tasting a freshly prepared Three-Cup Chicken cooked by a robot chef, according to Zhejiang Daily.

The two-story venue covers about 260 square meters and houses more than 10 robots working in coordination, handling every step from food preparation to cleaning.

At the entrance, an AI "diagnosis robot" scans customers' faces and tongues, then recommends dishes based on complexion, tongue features and the current solar term, guiding diners to choose meals that suit their body type.

Engineer Zhu Qi said customers only need to place their bowls on the corresponding trays after ordering, and the robot will take the noodles, place them in the pot and cook them automatically, finishing up to five bowls at a time in about three minutes, according to the report.

In the kitchen, a soup pot keeps simmering while cooked noodles slide out through a window, and a stir-fry robot flips chicken and sauce at high speed, releasing strong aromas before switching tools to wash the pan.

The robot making Three-Cup Chicken begins working as the oil temperature rises, tossing chicken pieces with sauce in the pan in a steady rhythm. After finishing the stir-fry, the robot switches its spatula for a brush and begins cleaning the wok. The reporter timed the process and found that the entire cycle—from cooking to washing—took about five minutes.

Outside the store, an ice cream robot continues to sell well even in cold weather, with some customers buying ice cream on snowy days for its unique flavor and low price. A coffee robot adds a practical touch by pressing down the lid after brewing, helping prevent spills and reassuring customers carrying drinks on the go.

Restaurant operators and catering professionals from cities such as Shanghai and Ningbo have visited the store, watching each step closely and considering whether to introduce similar systems into their own businesses.

From AI-based diagnosis to robotic cooking and serving, the restaurant runs a fully automated process that leaves no role for human chefs, Zhu said, describing it as a new model of smart catering driven entirely by machines, the report said.

Global Times