Recap: The growing enthusiasm for humanoid robots is facing a public relations hiccup after a restaurant performance by one machine went haywire at a Haidilao hot pot restaurant in the Bay Area. Video footage that surfaced on social media shows a dancing robot at the restaurant losing control mid-routine, overturning tableware and scattering utensils across diners' tables before startled staff intervened.
The incident quickly spread online, sparking both amusement and debate about safety features, oversight, and the wisdom of deploying consumer-facing robots in uncontrolled settings.
The robot, dressed in an orange apron that read "I'm good," was part of a promotional event tied to Disney's upcoming film Zootopia 2. According to the Chinese financial outlet Jiemian Global, the restaurant chain's parent company is part of an international holding group known for investing in automated kitchens and robot-driven delivery systems.
The event was intended as a lighthearted demonstration of robotic hospitality. Instead, it became an unplanned case study in the unpredictable nature of such technologies once placed in public spaces.
Robot waiter in California Hot Pot restaurant goes rogue and starts dancing and breaking dishware - it's unfazed as human workers try to restrain it
by u/freudian_nipps in Cyberpunk
In the video, one employee can be seen attempting to manually restrain the robot while using her phone, apparently to locate controls through the robot's companion app. Even with two additional staff joining the effort, the team appeared to struggle as the robot continued its erratic gestures – its hands reportedly flinging sauces as they tried to subdue it.
The scene drew laughs from online viewers, with one Reddit commenter calling it the "funniest thing I've seen all day." Yet others voiced concern over the robot's seemingly limited fail-safes. "Why isn't there a big red power off button on its back?" one user asked, noting that relying on a smartphone app for shutdown control could pose risks in emergency situations.
Such comments echo a broader unease about the race to deploy humanoid robots in public venues before design standards mature. Humanoid and service robots are quickly expanding beyond labs into commercial and consumer settings. But as interactions with people increase, manufacturers face mounting pressure to better balance innovation with safety design.
The Haidilao episode follows another recent viral moment in which police officers were filmed escorting a different robot away after it startled an elderly woman in Macau, China. Though neither event resulted in injuries, they highlight recurring tensions in the rollout of social and service robots.
The company said in a statement that the robot was not malfunctioning, but was positioned closer to diners than usual.