McDonald’s is testing humanoid ROBOTS in Shanghai – and they even wear the uniform

Humanoid robots serve food and entertain customers at a McDonald’s in Shanghai; They even wear the famous uniform.

The machines, supplied by Chinese firm Keenon Robotics, were deployed as part of a trial and point to a future in which routine tasks in fast food restaurants will be carried out by robots.

In videos posted online, restaurant customers can be seen interacting with cyborgs dressed in iconic red and yellow uniforms behind the counters.

A humanoid wearing a black uniform with the word ‘chief’ on it greets those arriving.

Others make the famous ‘M’ sign synonymous with the brand and show off some of their dance moves.

Meanwhile, children can be seen chasing other robots disguised as cute animals as they deliver food and clean the floors around the restaurant.

‘Watch the robot team costume and enjoy the McDonald’s party!’ Keenon Robotics wrote online. ‘Our humanoid series leads the squad and takes to the streets.

‘It’s a testament to how service automation is becoming a seamless part of global dining and how technology is bringing more smiles to every mealtime.’

In the video, a robot is seen touching its thumb and index finger together to give the customer the “ok” sign.

The smaller, cube-shaped ‘cleaning’ bot has a touchscreen and is designed to look as if it’s wearing a tie.

McDonald’s executive vice president Jon Banner explained that the robots were there for a ‘temporary greeting’.

“To be clear, the robots were part of the grand opening of the Shanghai Museum of Science and Technology restaurant,” he wrote on social media.

‘The robots were wanted to attract attention by the museum. The job is done!’

He added that the robots ‘are not involved in any service or operational function’.

Although the machines are part of a trial and have only been around for about five days, some people believe it won’t be long before they become more widely available.

One person wrote to X: ‘Shanghai is the test market. If unit economics works, distribution won’t stay in China.’

The machines, supplied by Chinese firm Keenon Robotics, were deployed as part of a trial and hint at a future in which routine tasks in fast food restaurants will be carried out by robots.

Another said it was the ‘real future’, adding: ‘Humanoid robots greeting customers and delivery robots bringing your food, automate the kitchen a bit more and boom, McDonald’s stores run themselves with basically zero staff.’

But others warned that the robots would be ‘destroyed’ if moved elsewhere.

According to Keenon Robotics, the ‘Dinerbot T10’ has 3D vision for ‘safer obstacle avoidance in complex environments’.

It comes with open-access trays that allow customers to easily retrieve their food, and has a six-wheeled shock-absorbing chassis to prevent spillage during sudden stops.

Its screen can be programmed to show different animal faces, such as cats, rabbits and deer, and a variety of sounds can be selected.

Meanwhile, the ‘Kleenbot C40’ has a triple brush system to separate dry and wet debris. It is designed to ‘easily negotiate crowds and irregular obstacles’ and can collect objects such as hair, paper scraps, dust, coffee and juice.

Although the Keenon website does not list prices, these models sell online for around £11,500 to £16,000.

The recently launched ‘XMAN-R1’ humanoid robot has been specifically designed to interact with humans; but online it appears to come with a $100,000 price tag.

A small cube-shaped ‘cleaning’ robot has a touch screen and is designed to look as if it is wearing a tie (left). Meanwhile, children can be seen chasing a ‘Dinerbot’ disguised as a cute animal that delivers food throughout the restaurant.

The recently launched ‘XMAN-R1’ humanoid robots are specifically designed to interact with humans; but online it appears to come with a $100,000 price tag

The shocking moment when a dancing robot went crazy in a restaurant last week was caught on camera.

While customers at the Haidilao hot pot restaurant in San Jose, California, were enjoying their meal, a humanoid started showing some movements.

The robot suddenly slams its hands on the table while performing a dance routine that involves waving its arms and swaying its hips.

This sends chopsticks and bright yellow sauce flying into the air as the staff races to cover it.

However, the humanoid continues to dance throughout the fight, where three employees wrestle the robot and try to drag it away by the back of its neck.