Robot serving up food at North Bay-area restaurant

If you head to Dinner Bell Motel and Restaurant in Bonfield, just 30 minutes outside North Bay, your server may look a little bit different than usual.

The restaurant recently bought a robot named 'Bella' that serves food, carries dirty dishes and generally makes things easier for staff.

"If I’m at the cash, cashing someone out and the food is ready or the salads are ready, Robert, our chef can send the salads out to the table," said owner Debbie Shank.

"It comes back and it will sit in the kitchen and wait for the hot food … So it enables me to do something else while the tables are being served."

While the robot can do quite a bit, Shank told CTV News she has recently hired two high school students and still has more positions to fill.

She said some people think Bella will take away from people working in the serving industry, but Shank doesn’t agree.

"We’re still looking. I still need two other positions, so really it’s not going to take away jobs," she said.

"I just find with COVID, a lot of people aren’t working, whether they’re scared or not feeling well, so it just fills that need for us."

Customers are also enjoying the service Bella provides.

"The customers who are here and actually see it working seem to love it. They can see the benefit of getting their food out right away," said Shank.

Although it was an expensive purchase, Shank said it’s been worth it and that she encourages other restaurant owners to look into getting one for themselves.