How Robot Café Is Serving up the Future in Nairobi

While Elon Musk’s Optimus Robot made headlines last week, this futuristic café is already giving Nairobi a glimpse of how technology can transform the hospitality industry. As the first of its kind in East and Central Africa, the café places robots at the heart of the dining experience.

"People love seeing the robots," John Kariuki Mwangi, the café’s manager, tells OkayAfrica. "It's something they've only seen on TV, and now they get to experience it in real life."

The idea of the Robot Café was sparked by the founders’ desire to bring something unique to Nairobi's already vibrant restaurant scene. As Mwangi tells it, these well-traveled investors were interested in creating a novel experience that would immediately differentiate them from the competition.

“When you're launching a new business in a city like Nairobi, you have to ask yourself, 'What can we do differently to attract people?'” Mwangi says. “That's where the idea of using robots came in."

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The move has been an instant hit since the restaurant opened in June 2024. The robotic team consists of three fembots — R24, Claire and Nadia — and John, the most advanced of them all. While each robot can be assigned specific tasks, John is equipped with a LIDAR system, which uses lasers to measure distances. This helps John understand his surroundings better, allowing him to move around and multitask more effectively.

In fact, John can serve the entire restaurant solo if necessary, Mwangi says. However, the duties are generally shared among the team, with human staff providing support in other areas of customer service. The robots, for example, can’t take your order.

“Waiters here don’t have to carry food to the tables,” says Mwangi. "They simply place the food on the robot, which then delivers it to the designated table. It makes the job much easier and faster." The robots are even equipped to perform fun tasks like singing to patrons celebrating special occasions.

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However, not everyone has been as enthusiastic. Some customers have expressed concerns about robots potentially taking away jobs in a city already grappling with high unemployment. But Mwangi emphasizes that the robots aren’t here to replace human jobs. “There will always be a need for the human touch in hospitality,” he says. “You can’t run a café with only machines."

Moreover, the robots themselves come with their own set of hurdles. Since all the components are imported from Asia, sourcing replacement parts or fixing technical issues can be an issue. During the restaurant’s early days, the café had to borrow a charger from a similar café in Lagos after theirs broke down. "It was easier to fly to Lagos and get the charger than wait for new parts to arrive," Mwangi recalls.

Despite these obstacles, the robots have performed reliably so far, with Mwangi noting that, "once they're mapped correctly, they operate smoothly throughout the day."

And while the Robot Café may be the first in the region, it likely won't be the last. Mwangi is aware of other entrepreneurs who are already shipping their own robots, but he isn’t too bothered. “Nairobi is known as a hub for technology, as the Silicone Savannah. And if more robot cafés open, it will only reinforce that image."

Looking ahead, another robot employee will be joining the crew by the end of the month, Mwangi says. And the café has plans to open two more branches, each with even more advanced technology, including smart tables that can take orders.

"We’re always looking for ways to innovate," Mwangi says. "The future of hospitality is here, and we’re excited to be leading the way."