M Restaurants hires robot waiters for Christmas

M Restaurants is to start using robot waiters to serve Champagne in two of its sites over Christmas.

From 3 December the robots, named Bailey and Sage, will be helping customers at M Victoria Street and M Threadneedle Street in London.

The pair will take drinks orders and deliver champagne from the M bar.

An announcement said the duo are not a replacement for staff, but an "aid to help encourage customer confidence" after London restaurants reopen on 2 December. The capital will be subject to Tier 2 rules, meaning restaurants are limited to table service and alcohol can only be served with ‘substantial meals', with a final closing time of 11pm.

M Restaurants will also use QR codes to share wine lists and virtual beef boards to reduce contact between customers and staff.

"Our ethos at M is one of creating ‘joyful immersive dining experiences', so we decided that we would go to town and introduce a number of activations to celebrate the re-opening of our restaurants and to introduce some fun to our dining experiences, regardless of restrictions," said Martin Williams, founder and chief executive of M Restaurants.

There are currently only plans to use the robots until 3 January, but a spokesperson said this may be extended.

M Restaurants is part of the Rare Restaurants group, which also owns steakhouse brand Gaucho.