Take Off For Sushi Restaurant's Flying Tray

[Jazzy]

A Japanese restaurant has brought a new meaning to the term 'fast food', hurtling meals towards customers on what it claims is the world's first flying tray.

Dubbed the iTray, the lightweight, carbon fibre gadget can travel at speeds of up to 11 metres per second (25mph) and has a range of 50 metres.

Waiters and waitresses at YO! Sushi guide the platter through the air using an iPad app, while kitchen staff can check the food is delivered by watching real-time video feeds from two on-board cameras.

"We're all about innovation and delivering a whole concept in an unusual and exciting way," said Robin Rowland, chief executive of YO! Sushi. "The iTray ... is a way for us to explain how exciting food can be."

The restaurant chain, which is credited with bringing the kaiten conveyor belt to the UK, has trialled a number of innovations since its launch in 1997.

Speaking robot drinks trolleys, self-heating plates and video game toilets are among the gadgets used at its 64 UK stores.

The launch of the iTray coincides with the introduction of YO! Sushi's first burger, made from toasted rice and ingredients including teriyaki chicken, kimchi salmon and prawn katsu.

"When I ordered the burger, I didn't imagine it was ever going to come flying towards my face on a tray," one diner at YO! Sushi's Soho restaurant said. "It was the weirdest thing - like something out of a sci-fi novel."

The iTray is being tested at the company's flagship branch and could be rolled out nationwide in 2014.

Source

Cool or not?

 

[Evil Eye]

Sort of.
I'm kinda worried food would fall off or people'd get hit by the thing. Seems pretty interesting though.

 

[Jazzy]

the lightweight, carbon fibre gadget can travel at speeds of up to 11 metres per second (25mph)

This tray is moving very fast. What happens if someone doesn't see it and steps in its path? This is dangerous and these people are looking for trouble. Can we all say LAWSUIT, sure we can!

 

[Evil Eye]

I assume they don't actually fly it at that speed... food would fall off.

 

[Jazzy]

I assume they don't actually fly it at that speed... food would fall off.

Maybe they put tiny seat belts around the food?

 

[Evil Eye]

That'd be cool.

 

[JetWing34]

This technology could be dangerous for customers. If I own a restaurant, I would not use the iTray because of safety concerns.