Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2020/02/04/watch-japans-first-robot-bar.html
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Is this what the Boston Dynamics’ bots do before they’re drafted?
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Not quite Cocktail level yet. 
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Surely it’s been done many times before?
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Ugh. No thanks.
- Takes way way too long for a simple mixed drink
- I don’t need some screen fake winking at me
- I don’t need a 6-year old girl’s voice explaining the intricacies of this plum sour soda. Gross (the voice, not the plum sour soda)
- A glorified vending machine (That takes too long) strips out the whole point of a bartender: a human smiling and connecting with you while pushing alcohol.
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And it’s been done with so much more flair:
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Yeah, with Japan’s long history of using robots for just about everything I have a hard time believing this is really a “first” for them.
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The Japanese seem weirdly attached to the idea of obtaining food and drink without any human interaction. There’s a Tokyo sushi bar I went to where each seating area has a touchscreen. You can select what you want and it’s delivered on a conveyor belt (which was kind of alarmingly fast, not the kind where sushi choices rotate around in front of you). There was another place, a ramen shop, where you got your ramen ticket from a vending machine, went into one of the little isolated booths that looked like a study carrel, and were delivered your ramen through a slot - you didn’t get to see any human on the other side.
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Seems it was also big in the US, once.
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Obligatory
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New York City was full of them. Great for night owls and people on late shifts.
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plastic cup - obviously a fraternity house robot.
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…so I said, the hell with her, I’m my own man. Fuckin’… fuckin’ tell me what to do with my own money, can you believe this?
I hear that.
And you know what gets me is the nerve, you know? Not “we can’t afford it.” Not “there’s something else I want.” No, it’s “but what if we get pregnant?” Like, THAT’S how she starts that conversation? I mean, Christ, what if I hadn’t wanted to buy an ATV? How was she going to tell me then?
I know, man. It's crazy.
Fuckin’ right it is. And the worst part is… hey, another Jack and Coke when you get the chance… the worst part is I want kids too. I love her. But I swear she goes out of her way to be “mysterious.” It’s like, woman, I’ve known you since middle school. It ain’t a question of mystery.
You said it, my friend. INITIATE MIXOLOGY ROUTINE 0000A023.
Anyway, I gotta take a leak.
I hear that.
I know man, it's crazy.
You said it, my friend.
I hear thaENTERING SLEEP MODE.
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Well, on a positive note, it looks like Skynet is way behind schedule. Guess I’ll kick the ol’ proverbial can down to my grand-kids.
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About forty years ago there was a robot bartender, I think in Toronto. Jim Butterfield, of Commodore fame, was an investor or maybe more deeply involved.
I think it only mixed drinks, didn’t take money or give change. And no Eliza attachment, so it wouldn’t pretend to be listening by playing back words you’d just said.
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I feel like half the pleasure of having a cocktail prepared is it, A.) being “lovingly” prepared by someone who cares… or, yuh know, who has the ability TO care; and, B.) I enjoy interacting with bartenders. Even the mean ones are fun people if you bother learning how to talk to them.
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Can it make a coff o’ cuppee for my lady and a marnin grita?
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