M Restaurants announces Champagne-serving robots for Christmas

Bots bearing gifts: the machine may have an unhappy face, but it does at least deliver bottle of bubbly

(M Restaurants)

Christmas trading under Covid regulations is likely to prove tricky for restaurants this year, but one operator has thought of a novel way to limit person-to-person contact – by using robot waiters to work alongside existing staff.

Throughout December, two M Restaurants will each boast a Champagne-serving droid scooting between the bar and customers, laden with flutes and bottles of bubbles.

The restaurants say the robots, known as Bailey and Sage, will also offer seasonal greetings and personalised messages, which should please those who want their loved ones to know they’re thinking of them, but not enough to actually speak to them directly.

Martin Williams, the CEO of Rare Restaurants – the parent group of M and its sister group Gaucho – said of the new hires: “Our ethos at M is one of creating ‘joyful immersive dining experiences’, so we decided that we would go to town and introduce a number of activations to celebrate the re-opening of our restaurants and to introduce some fun to our dining experiences, regardless of restrictions.”

Fortunately, the robots haven’t come for anyone’s jobs: Rare says it hasn’t had to lay-off any of its 765-strong workforce as a result of lockdown.

The Champagne bots will serve both lunchtime and supper services at M Victoria Street and M Threadneedle Street from December 3 until January 3.

For more information, visit mrestaurants.co.uk