Dallas restaurant owner using robots as servers

DALLAS (NewsNation Now) – The restaurant business is more than difficult and a Dallas chef is struggling to keep his restaurant alive after more than a year of constant adjustments.

Taco Borga says COVID-19 has deterred many of its customers and rising food prices across the country have detracted from profits.

“It’s not that complicated, you have to be a wizard these days to find out,” said Borga.

But Borga’s biggest challenge these days is staffing.

Two years ago 10 to 15 people came to La Duni Latin Cafe every month asking for a job. He says not a single applicant has shown up in nine months, and two-thirds of his staff have left.

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“You have no cooks, you have no waiters, you have no managers, you have no bartenders,” he said. “But you have people at your door yelling, ‘Why on earth do you have all these tables and you can’t seat me?’ Well, I can’t sit you because I have no one to serve you. “

After examining his staff, Borga found that waiters spend 70% of their time walking back and forth in the kitchen delivering food and drinks … if only he could figure out how to buy them more time.

This is where the robot fleet comes into play.

“It was all cool; I love it. I’m sure it makes it easier for the servers, you have eight or nine plates on your arms – just put them on the robot and go, ”said customer Eric Fleming. “I like it when I squeak: ‘Oh my god, it’s so cute!'”

In fact, word got around that the robots at La Duni are working on the line and their attraction is to put customers on their seats.

Borga just hopes it’s enough to help him hold out.

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“Right now the game isn’t about making money, it’s not even breakeven, it’s about survival,” he said.

The robots aren’t cheap. They run about $ 16,000 apiece, but Borga managed to fund them. Each costs him about $ 300 a month. That would cost him an employee for about two days, he says.

Borga insisted he didn’t want a robot restaurant and they weren’t going to take jobs away from people. He would much rather have full staff again, but until then he’ll be driving the robots.

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