Cuba: Surprised by restaurant in La Habana serving diners with modern robots

Despite frequent power outages and a lack of modern technology, one restaurant in La Habana has leapt into the 21st century with digital menus, Alexa virtual assistants, and even a robot serving food.

Amidst the ancient streets of the heart of Cuba's capital, La Habana, the Doña Alicia restaurant emerges as a futuristic space with innovative and unique technological solutions.

According to a VNA reporter in La Habana, stepping through the door on the corner of Reina Street, diners seem to be lost in the world of the future - where the virtual assistant Alexa warmly welcomes, modern tablets replace traditional paper menus and most notably, a robot waitress named Doña Alicia gracefully moves between tables.

Marisela González, a regular customer, could not hide her excitement: “The first time I brought my daughter here, she shouted with joy as if she had stepped into a fairyland. Now every weekend, my whole family eagerly comes here to enjoy delicious food and experience technology.”

Meanwhile, 64-year-old Sonia Pérez could not hide her surprise when she experienced it for the first time: "I thought I was in a cartoon."

The tech experience begins as soon as diners are seated. Instead of traditional paper menus, digital screens allow diners to easily select their dishes. The bar has also gone digital, serving refreshing mojitos and daiquiris.

Robot named Doña Alicia serves diners. (Photo: VNA)

From the digital menu, the virtual assistant Alexa at the table to the robot waiter named Doña Alicia - inspired by the restaurant owner's grandmother - everything surprises diners.

“Both kids and adults enjoyed being served by robots,” said restaurant manager Yadiel Hernández. “It was a completely new experience.”

However, the restaurant still maintains traditional service for customers who are not familiar with technology.

Behind Doña Alicia’s success is an arduous journey. Starting from a small restaurant in 2018, Doña Alicia’s team has gradually carried out the “digital revolution” by importing each device through shipments from relatives abroad.

With Cuba facing frequent power outages and shortages of spare parts, Doña Alicia’s team had to find creative solutions to keep the system running. Each technical failure became a valuable lesson.

Doña Alicia's story is not just about pure digital transformation, but also a testament to the adaptability and creativity of Cubans.

In a country where the technological gap remains large, this small restaurant has proven that entering the 21st century is entirely possible - albeit with many difficulties.

On weekend evenings, when neon lights blend with salsa music, Doña Alicia becomes the ideal destination for those who want to experience the unique fusion of traditional cuisine and modern technology.

Not only does it serve delicious meals, it also delivers an optimistic message: Cuba can absolutely enter the digital age on its own terms.

Although still a rare case, Doña Alicia's model could pave the way for future innovations in the service sector in Cuba, despite limited infrastructure./.

(Vietnam News Agency/Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/cuba-unexpected-with-nha-hang-o-la-habana-phuc-vu-thuc-khach-bang-robot-hien-dai-post1034546.vnp