‘I’ll tip a few batteries AAA.’

Brooke Sjoberg

Released October 30, 2024 1:00 AM CDT

Tipping is already a major issue when it comes to human servers performing the labor of working in a restaurant.

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Adding robots to the mix could make the issue more dry and dry for some, and pose a moral question for others.

At a restaurant that uses robot servers to interface with customers, the owner took to social media to ask his audience: How much would you tip a robot server?

On TikTok, which was posted by user @mothernateur and has received more than 215,000 views, the poster says she performed many of the tasks that would normally be undertaken by a server, such as placing her own order, but was still given the recommended tip amount. receipt.

@mothernateur How much tip do you leave? #TipFlation #Robot #DateNight #Halloween ♬ original audio – Mother NATEur

“How much tip would you leave for this?” he asks the audience. “I took my order myself and ordered water instead of a cocktail. A robot brought me my food before speeding away. Now I admit, the food was pretty tasty, but the suggested tip is somewhere between $13 and $18.69. What do you tip?”

The Daily Dot reached out to @mothernateur via TikTok direct message about the video.

How common are robot servers?

While most restaurants still employ humans to communicate with customers and expedite orders, the number of robot waiters and servers employed not only in the U.S. but around the world is increasing.

in 2023 GIS It reported that more than 10,000 robots from a California-based company are in use across the United States, while another company based in China has more than 66,000 robots worldwide.

Are robot servers replacing human servers?

While there are some fears about robotic servers replacing humans, industry insiders say that’s either a long way off or unlikely to happen.

As reported by The, the technology is very simple for now and could help make things easier. Subtract. One restaurant owner said he uses robots to take menial tasks off his servers’ shoulders so they can focus on taking care of guests.

Viewers reacted

Many commenters were quick to point out that they wouldn’t tip the robot server if they were the poster.

One commenter wrote: “If they want to replace workers with robots to save money, zero, then we should be able to save money without tipping.” “They also raise menu prices, often assuming there will be no tip left.”

“The tip is supposed to go to the server who makes less than minimum wage, if there is no server the tips probably go to the owners,” another said. “I don’t tip owners for automating things.”

“Absolutely nothing,” added a third. “What am I tipping, the electric bill?”

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