With an Eye on the Future, Abuelo's Test-Drives Servi Hospitality Robot From Bear Robotics

Robot Helps Human Servers Deliver Food and Beverages and Bus Tables, Taking on the Heavy Lifting, so Servers Have More Time to Interact with Guests

PLANO, Texas, June 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Abuelo's Mexican Restaurant, famous for its authentic, made-from-scratch Mexican cuisine, announced today its Rogers, Arkansas location has deployed a Servi hospitality robot from Bear Robotics in a pilot program designed to give human servers a helping hand and more time to interact with guests. The restaurant chain is exploring Servi's ability to improve guest satisfaction, increase efficiency and help retain restaurant staff in a tight labor market.

Servi automates repetitive tasks in the dining room, such as running food and drinks to guests as soon as items are ready and helping servers bus tables and return dishes to the back of the house for washing. This reduces the physical demands on servers, freeing them to focus on providing better service and having quality interactions with guests. The robot isn't intended to replace servers but rather to provide assistance, automate routine tasks and make servers' jobs easier, especially during busy times.

"Since our first restaurant opening in 1989, it's been our mission to provide superior service to every Abuelo's guest," said Robert Lin, president of Abuelo's. "We've explored many innovations over the years to improve the guest experience, and the Servi pilot program is the latest test of how we can use technology to enhance efficiency while providing the best service in the industry."

In the Rogers Abuelo's restaurant, the Servi robot is creating a smarter working environment for servers by taking on some routine and physical tasks. The robot is expertly engineered by Bear Robotics to combine agile movement with versatile design. Using an advanced LiDar sensor and multiple cameras, Servi can sense obstacles and navigate spaces easily and safely; for example, while carrying trays of food and drinks to guests while avoiding any person or barrier that crosses its path.

"Our vision is to elevate hospitality by automating the hustle behind it," said John Ha, founder and CEO of Bear Robotics. "Restaurant servers are hardworking people who provide memorable moments for guests. At forward-thinking restaurants like Abuelo's, Servi hospitality robots don't replace restaurant staff, but they do help servers provide an incredible dining experience."

Find out more about Abuelo's at www.abuelos.com. Learn more about Bear Robotics and Servi hospitality robots at www.bearrobotics.ai.

About Abuelo's

Since its first opening in 1989, Abuelo's has consistently been on the leading edge of Mexican cuisine, combining menu creativity, outstanding food and beverage quality, colorful plate presentations and superior service in a true Mexican courtyard atmosphere. Abuelo's has received national accolades as the top-ranked Mexican food restaurant and as one of America's top overall restaurant chains in four consecutive biennial surveys by a leading national consumer rating magazine. Owned and operated by Food Concepts International in Lubbock, Texas, the company currently has 26 full-service restaurants located in nine states. For more information, visit www.abuelos.com or Abuelo's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/Abuelos.

About Bear Robotics

Bear Robotics is elevating dining experiences by automating the hard part. By using AI and autonomous robot technology, Bear Robotics deploys robots to take care of everything from drink serving to food running and table bussing, allowing hosts, servers and waitstaff to focus on delivering outstanding service. Headquartered in Redwood City, CA, and Dallas, TX, Bear Robotics' multi-award-winning robots tackle tough jobs in fine-tuned fashion across a range of restaurants, corporate campuses, ghost kitchens, senior care facilities and casinos across North America and Asia.

Media Contacts:

Abuelo's
Emma Maurice
908-635-9410
[email protected]

Bear Robotics
[email protected]

SOURCE Abuelo's