--- title: "Restaurant Re-Deploys Robot After Dishware-Smashing Freakout" description: "A robot that went viral for smashing tableware in the middle of a restaurant has now been returned to duty." date: "2026-03-21" modified: "2026-03-21" authors: - name: "Frank Landymore" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/flandymore" url: "https://futurism.com/robots-and-machines/restaurant-re-deploys-robot-freakout" categories: - "Robotics" - "Robots and Machines" --- # Restaurant Re-Deploys Robot After Dishware-Smashing Freakout ![A person in a red jacket is grabbing a robot while it dances out of control.]() Most restaurant workers would probably get fired on the spot if they freaked out in front of customers and smashed a bunch of dishes. But apparently anything goes if you're an adorable looking robot. Case in point: the android that recently went viral for doing just that — [going berserk in the middle of an eatery]() and turning tableware into loud projectiles — is receiving a second chance. An employee at the Haidilao hot pot restaurant in San Jose, California where the robot's (scare quotes) "employed" [told the *Mercury News*]() that the robot has resumed its usual duties and now is standing sentry near the front door, ready to entertain customers. Everything's back to normal, they said. It's all just water — and "a few spilled sauces" — under the bridge. That's reassuring to know, because it was quite the freakout. Viral [footage]() showed the robot fling chopsticks and tableware into the air with some of its dance moves, smiling through it all. For several minutes, three employees tried to restrain the robot to little avail as it continued to flail its arms around, its apron with large text reading "I'm Good," flapping with each jerking motion of its body. The robot didn't have a few too many drinks, but rather fell victim to a pesky employee's errant button press. The restaurant employee told the *Mercury News* that someone "pressed the 'crazy dance' in a tight space," launching it into its destructive jig. In the footage, one of the employees trying to restrain the bot is seen trying to look through her phone, possibly to disable the robot. Being a court jester for bored gourmands is the extent of its duties. Staff said it doesn't serve food, and is programmed to do stuff like say hi, making a heart with its hands — and, perhaps ill-advisedly, bust some dance moves. **More on robots:** [*Robot Escorted Away By Cops After Terrorizing Old Woman*]() ## Author At Futurism, my work has often centered on bringing a sense of clarity and insight to complex topics ranging from the regulation of emerging technologies to the esoteric ideologies of Silicon Valley executives, while striving not to lose the poetic sense of awe inspired by often-obscure fields like astrophysics and quantum computing. I broke the story of CNET using AI to produce articles that turned out to be riddled with factual errors and plagiarism — a dam-breaking inflection point, as I've reported, that's inspired copycats and endless discourse while beguiling stakeholders ranging from tech giants to purveyors of spam around the web. My work at Futurism has been cited by publications including CBS News, the Los Angeles Times, Vice, Gizmodo, Engadget, the Verge, and Vanity Fair. I grew up in locales ranging from India to China, and now live in the exotic suburbs of Virginia. In my free time, I'm an avid reader of weird sci-fi literature, an aficionado of East Asian cinema, and, regrettably, a relapsed gamer. Allegedly, I’m working on a debut novel, currently untitled. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()