Link to the original article: https://foxsanantonio.com/news/nation-world/restaurant-hires-robot-server-during-labor-shortage-tin-lizzie-gaming-resort-deadwood-business-robotics-richtech-metal-waiter-pandemic-josh-thurmes-future-of-food

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) - Tin Lizzie Gaming Resort in Deadwood is handling the labor shortages like any business would, hiring staff.

Except they didn’t hire from the normal pool of candidates.

Instead, they recruited a robot server, Lucki!

The metal waiter is both grinding its gears working hard, and turning heads.

With recent pandemic induced labor shortages some places are short on hands and turning to wheels.

“We were just met with some challenges with staffing,” says Josh Thurmes, Assistant General Manager at Tin Lizzie Gaming Resort, “and some business levels that Deadwood isn’t used to. So, we thought outside the box, and decided we were going to try out this robot to run food for us.”

It will take food and drink directly to tables, the bar or wherever else it’s programmed to. It’ll even help clean up.

“So,” explains Thurmes, “it works as a bus person as well.” He says its even got some manners, because “it’s vocal, it’ll talk to you. It’ll ask you to get out of its way.” Saying things like, “I’m busy here. I’m going to work. I’m going to get fired. It has a personality, it’s a lot of fun. It’s very up beat. It plays music as it’s coming by so everyone knows it’s coming.”

Working hard, it begs the question, is this robot being rightfully compensated?

“Ah,” chuckles Thurmes. “It is not. But, it is worthy of making a wage.”