The cafe opened in June in the Nihonbashi district of central Tokyo, and hired employees in Japan and overseas, as well as some employees who worked on site.
It should have been opened last year to match Paralympics, But the opening was postponed by the pandemic-just like the Olympics that started on Tuesday.
About 20 micro-robots with almond-shaped eyes sit on the table and elsewhere in the cafe. The cafe has no stairs and the smooth wooden floor is large enough to accommodate a wheelchair.
The machine called OriHime is equipped with a camera, microphone and speaker, allowing operators to communicate with customers remotely.
“Can I order food for you?” someone asked, next to a tablet displaying a menu of hamburgers, curries and salads.
When the customer chats with the pilot operating the mini robot, Three larger humanoid versions will walk around, serving drinks or welcoming customers at the entrance.
There is even a barista robot in a brown apron that can make coffee in a French press.
