Restaurants in Indianapolis and Detroit are using them. You even may have seen them while dining out, too. The adoption and use of service robots in the hospitality industry has accelerated in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic and the Great Resignation, both of which deepened a recruitment and retention crisis in an industry historically plagued with high turnover. According to a 2023 National Restaurant Association survey, 79% of restaurant operators report difficulty hiring, and 62% report they’re understaffed.