Restaurant Robots
WORKSHEET
1. Suggested Use
Critical thinking or mediation task focus, followed by closed practice A2-level vocabulary and grammar activities.
2. Suggested Activities
A. Project-based learning
Put students into groups and have them discuss the advantages and disadvantages of robots in restaurants. Then, have them make future predictions on what they think these restaurant robots might be able to do in the future. You could then have a whole class discussion using students’ ideas, e.g. What other industries could use robots like these? Would you like to be served by a robot? Why / why not? What might happen if there is a technical problem with one of the robots?
B. Mediation task: Relaying specific information
Students design a poster to promote the restaurant. They have a copy of the script and choose which information is important to include to persuade people to visit the restaurant.
C. Pronunciation task: Sentence stress
Write some example sentences from the script on the board, e.g. The robot will help the employees; We just press the number of the table; The customer needs an employee to talk to. Have students underline the stressed words in the sentences, then practise the rhythm by clapping the stressed sounds.
3. Vocabulary
People and places
· waiter
· customer
· manager
· restaurant
Actions
· help
· carry (food)
· take orders
· put (food) on the table
· press (a number)
· talk to
· work together
Other
· robot
· machine
· better
· fast/faster
4. Grammar
Present simple (for facts and routines):
CAN helps the waiters deliver meals; The robot cannot take orders; A human waiter puts the food on the table.
Can/can’t (ability):
The robot can carry food; The robot cannot take orders.
Future with will:
Robots will help restaurants; Robots will not replace people.
TRANSCRIPT
Restaurant Robots
NARRATOR:
The staff at this restaurant in Kuwait, have a new assistant. It is a robot called CAN. CAN helps the waiters deliver meals more quickly. CAN doesn’t replace human waiters but works with them. The robot cannot take orders or serve food directly, but it carries food from the kitchen to the correct table. A human waiter then puts the food on the table for the customer.
SOUNDBITE - Jessy Nomess:
“We just press the number of the table, and this one is already programmed, so the robot will direct, for example if you press table one, it goes to table one, just go there and we will get the food and put it on the table.”
NARRATOR:
This teamwork makes the service faster and better. It also gives customers a new and fun way to eat. Many customers see robots like CAN as the future of restaurants. One diner said:
SOUNDBITE - Jukerya Serja Milli:
“Moving forward this will be the way, it cannot be 100 percent I would say, but at least, yes 60/40. 60 human and 40 robots, yes why not.”
NARRATOR:
Ahmed Sherriff is the restaurant's manager. He says robots like CAN are becoming more popular. He thinks robots will help improve service, but human waiters will still be needed for personal interaction with customers.
SOUNDBITE - Ahmed Sherriff:
“For sure the customer needs an employee to communicate with and to talk to. The robot will help the employees, but I do not expect it to fully replace the employee.”
NARRATOR:
Robots like CAN are not just machines. They show how people and robots can work together. In Kuwait, robots are helping restaurants and giving customers a look at the future.