Journalist gets robot room service in Shanghai hotel, here’s how people reacted

On opening the door, the journalist is heard saying “Good Morning, robot!” while pressing the ‘open’ button to retrieve the pods — one normal, another decaf.

I called for more coffee pods in my Shanghai hotel room and this is how they came to me: pic.twitter.com/zqc9OLpXHA

— Anna Fifield (@annafifield) November 20, 2019

When asked how the robot rang the doorbell, the journalist said that the machine called on the room’s phone to let her known that it was waiting outside in English and Chinese.

the robot called my room phone and told me (in Chinese and English) that it was waiting outside

— Anna Fifield (@annafifield) November 20, 2019

Some thought the robot was cute, but others felt it could have been more generous with the coffee pods. Some also pointed out that the customer didn’t tip the robot and it might be a good way to save some cash. Others shared similar experiences.

So the @Disney #STARWARS Hotels eventually *have* to have these but R2 Units, right? https://t.co/CSt8CPEDxY

— Bob Chipman (@the_moviebob) November 20, 2019

Can it serve Pinot Noir too? https://t.co/kgXuY7Ku7z

— Demetri Sevastopulo (@Dimi) November 20, 2019

A robot to bring me my nespresso every day would be an amazing addition to my life 😂 https://t.co/CVuTbGQS1O

— Susie Sandilands (@IamSusieMiller) November 20, 2019

I, for one, welcome our caffeine-bearing overlords.

— Alistair Coleman (@alistaircoleman) November 20, 2019

An excessive amount of innovation for TWO coffee pods 😂

— 블레어 (@TalkativeBlair) November 20, 2019

I was staying in a hotel in South Korea last month. One of these robots pushed its way into the lift as I was trying to get out. I found myself talking to it saying let me out of the lift first. They need etiquette training. 🤖

— Mike Spinks (@mbspinks) November 20, 2019

Yeah, my hotel robot (looks the same!) in Shenzhen brought me cough drops this week. It has a little kid’s voice and barges onto the elevators too pic.twitter.com/T43jRD3i1Q

— Trevor Curwin (@tcurwin) November 20, 2019

I thought only humans and cats walk away talking to themselves. 😂 now robots too! https://t.co/f2hJHra5Ez

— GS (@aliceonaroll) November 20, 2019

I love how it goes nattering off down the hall

— Tin Royers (@nicadispatch) November 20, 2019

She was saying, you are the cutest person in the universe. do you want to take a selfie with me? Don’t forget to give me a 👍. Wish you have a century long happiness.

— == 🧢 (@3lifestone) November 20, 2019

Thanks, Rosie! pic.twitter.com/Fn0eOnWt8i

— Norman Jefferson (@JeffNorm) November 20, 2019

Why does it’s chattering away down the hall remind me of Marvin from #HitchhikersGuidetotheGalaxy? xD https://t.co/H5vFK9e40l

— Sourya Banerjee (@JoeBanerjee) November 20, 2019

So I guess that means there are a couple of human beings without jobs because of that silly machine. Did you have to tip?

— Joseph the Benedictine (@OLRefugeMonksCA) November 20, 2019

I see this as the story about unemployment. Thanks to the Shanghai hotel. https://t.co/mLQMvggNs1

— Mokhula (@mokhula) November 20, 2019

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Incidentally, a restaurant in Ahmadabad started using robots to serve food, while another in Bengaluru has one that sings and entertains guests.

In Japan, the Henn-na Hotel made headlines in 2015 for letting robots maintain the premises. However, by 2019, most of the bots were fired after they reportedly created more work for the humans working there.

However, some have complained that these ‘cool’ services lack the warmth that defines the industry, and costs people jobs.