Haidilao robot topples dishes during performance at Cupertino restaurant

On March 19, 2026, a Haidilao robot assigned to in-store entertainment disrupted service at the chain’s Cupertino, California, location, sending plates and chopsticks scattering in front of diners. Video of the incident shows the device approaching a table, striking the surface and displacing utensils and food while continuing to move and gesture despite staff intervention.

Restaurant personnel can be seen struggling to contain the unit as it continued to dance; three servers ultimately gripped a strap at the robot’s neck to drag it away from guest seating while the device persisted in shuffling its feet. In a statement, the company said the movements were preprogrammed and that the robot was not malfunctioning or out of control. Haidilao said the performance occurred in a closer-than-normal setting after a customer request, and that the reduced space affected the robot’s movement.

The incident underscores the chain’s broader investment in automation: Haidilao operates AI-enhanced outlets globally, including a Beijing venue that employs robotic servers and automated broth-mixing equipment. Technology analyst Joanna Stern noted the unit should be equipped with a readily accessible kill switch and said staff in the clip appeared unfamiliar with how to deactivate it; she added that the primary concern is the potential for physical harm rather than the robot leaving the premises.