
At the new Sake Japanese Fusion restaurant at Summit Mall in Fairlawn, a cute little robot host named Peanut with a blue shirt and hat works in tandem with a human host, welcoming diners and showing them to their seats.
“Welcome to Sake Japanese Fusion,” Peanut says. After leading guests to their tables, he says: “Destination has arrived. Enjoy your meal.”
The host robot, who holds a screen above his head showing appetizing images of menu items, is the most human-like of the five robots that owners Tiffany and Leo Chen have purchased due to restaurant staffing difficulties plaguing the industry.
The four server robots are sleek, mostly black machines with flashing blue eyes, white sides and four levels of trays on which they carry food to customers’ tables.

The owners have invested nearly $20,000 in each of the five robots, which they ordered from Shanghai, China. When the restaurant