Are Robot Waiters the Future1?机器人服务员是未来的趋势吗？

长庚

You may have already seen them in restaurants： robots that greet guests， showthem to their tables and deliver2 their meals.

你可能已经在餐馆里见过它们：会招呼客人，带他们到餐桌前，还会端菜的机器人。

Sales of robot waiters have been growing in these years. Tens of thousands arenow working all over the world. But are robot waiters the future？

近年来，机器人服务员的销售额一直在增长。数以万计的机器人现在正在世界各地工作。但机器人服务员是未来所趋吗？

In a survey of US， 62% of restaurant owners say they dont have enough3workers. Many think robots can solve4 this problem.

在一项美国的调查中，62%的餐馆老板表示他们没有足够的员工。许多人认为机器人可以解决这个问题。

But others say it will be a long time before robot waiters can take the place ofhumans5. Robots cant take orders， and they cant walk well sometimes.

但也有人说，机器人服务员要取代人类还需要很长时间。机器人不能接受点餐，有时也不能很好地行走。

Still， the robots are getting more popular.

尽管如此，机器人越来越受欢迎。

Li Zhai was having problem with finding waiters for his Michigan restaurant， sohe bought three robots. Now， one robot shows people to their seats， another deliversbowls of noodles to tables， while a third carries dirty dishes back to the kitchen.

李斋（音）在为密歇根州的餐厅招服务员时遇到了问题，所以他买了三个机器人。现在，一个机器人领着客人到座位上，另一个机器人把面端到桌子上，第三个机器人把脏盘子拿回厨房。

He only needs three robots to do the same work that five or six people oncedid. And while a robot costs around $15，000， a person costs $5，000 to $6，000 fora month.

他只需要三个机器人就可以完成曾经五六个人做过的同样的工作。虽然一个机器人的价格约为15000 美元，但一个人的月工资为5000 至6000 美元。

He said the robots give human waiters more time with customers， whichmakes tips grow. And customers post videos of the robots online6. That bringsthe restaurant more business.

他说，机器人让人类服务员有更多的时间与顾客相处，赚取了更多的小费。顾客们会在网上发布机器人的视频。这给餐馆带来了更多的生意。

Marcus Merritt was surprised to see a robot waiter at a restaurant in Atlantanot long ago. “I think technology7 is part of our everyday life now，”he said.“Everybody uses some kind of computer. Its a natural progression8.”

不久前，马库斯·梅里特在亚特兰大的一家餐厅惊讶地看到一个机器人服务员。“我认为科技已经成为我们日常生活的一部分。”他说，“每个人都在使用某种电脑。这是一种自然的进步。”

However， someone says restaurantscould easily solve their labor shortages9 ifthey paid workers more.

然而，有人说如果餐馆给员工更多的工资，就可以很容易地解决劳动力短缺问题。

Notes

1. future 未来；将来；前途；前景

2. deliver 递送

3. enough 充足的；足夠的

4. solve 解决；处理

5. human 人；人类

6. online 在网上；在线地

7. technology 科技；技术

8. progression 发展；前进

9. labor shortage 劳力短缺；劳动力短缺