Overview
- McDonald’s executive Jon Banner said on social media the robots appeared for the grand opening of the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum restaurant as a temporary greeting attraction and did not handle service or operations.
- Viral clips on X showed humanoids in McDonald’s uniforms interacting with diners, and some outlets described them delivering food and clearing trays while kitchens remained human-run.
- Keenon Robotics promoted the appearance as a trial showcase, saying its humanoid series was “leading the squad,” but McDonald’s has not announced any plan to expand robot use.
- The featured location sits within a museum complex, which Banner said requested the robots to draw attention, and he indicated the appearance lasted about five days.
- Keenon has placed service robots in hotels and supermarkets in several countries, and interest in workplace automation is growing, though recent restaurant tests have seen mixed reliability and acceptance.