Written by Helen Strickland \/\/ Photo by Morgan Pickering<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Guacamole Grill, a Mexican restaurant in Searcy, has a new and unexpected employee: a robot. The robot is a pointy-eared, cat-like character that displays an occasional cat face on its front screen. It joined the Guacamole Grill staff in June. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Layton Montano, manager and owner of Guacamole Grill, said the restaurant purchased the cat because they \u201cwanted to have something different to attract more customers.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Though the robot does not serve every customer, it frequently moves around the restaurant, so it is visible to anyone. The robot is not a waiter, but it has multiple jobs, including seating customers, bringing appetizers to tables or singing Happy Birthday. It speaks to customers as it delivers food, and when customers have received their food, a \u201cfinish\u201d button appears on the screen. When pressed, the robot wheels away. Several Harding students have experienced this cat firsthand, including sophomore Amelia Slater. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt was the most memorable experience I have ever had at a Mexican restaurant,\u201d Slater said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The robot only serves some tables, however. Harding juniors Layne Medler and Magdalene Pruitt watched the robot at work, but they were not personally served by it, which they said led to confusion. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIs it like \u2018oh, we don\u2019t have enough servers right now, tell the robot to go deliver?\u2019\u201d Pruitt said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pruitt emphasized the robot\u2019s efficiency, however, describing its movement as \u201cquiet\u201d and \u201cfast.\u201d She described the robot\u2019s physical appearance as a \u201creally tall Roomba.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The robot also provides an entertainment factor, Medler said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt was excellent,\u201d Medler said. \u201cI sat down and I was eating my chips and salsa, and then I see movement out of the corner of my eye as this robot [\u2026] is making his way across the restaurant. I forgot there was a robot there, and I was unsettled.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
She also said the robot distracted her from making conversation with her friends as she spent her time watching it instead. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI was just watching him with his little bowtie walking around,\u201d Medler said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Montano said the robot has been popular thus far, and young customers like to take pictures with it. He also classified the robot as a \u201cgreat employee,\u201d saying it never gets tired or complains. The robot does not have a name, but Montano said Guacamole Grill is planning to ask the city of Searcy to help provide suggestions.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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