Japanese restaurant chain hires drones to fly sushi to tables

Drones may just be taking over the hospitality business. Just last week, Domino’s Pizza was testing drones that could one day deliver pizza. Now, Yo!Sushi, a popular Japanese restaurant chain started in England, has introduced a new robotic addition to its wait staff.

The “iTray” is a quadrocopter containing four propellers, equipped with a traditional lightweight tray made of carbon fiber.

The (human) wait staff and kitchen crew can control the flying trays from an iPad after downloading an app. The flying trays also have two on-board cameras so staff can make sure the food orders are delivered.

Yo!Sushi introduced these first two flying trays in conjunction with the release of their first burger.

Currently, they are only being tested at the company’s Soho location in England, but may appear in more Yo!Sushi locations by 2014.

This is not the first high-tech restaurant innovation that Yo!Sushi has given the public. In 1997, the chain began creating a multimedia atmosphere that has included robotic sushi makers and bartenders, conveyer belt sushi bars, and self-heating plates.

Watch the video below to see these customers receive their burgers via the world's first flying waiter.

Video via Yo! Sushi Videos