Restaurant robot goes rogue
A service robot malfunctioned in a California restaurant and a waitress had to physically restrain it as it knocked items off tables — the episode went viral on March 19. The clip has reignited debates about real‑world fail‑safes, emergency shutdowns, and who’s trained to intervene when humanoids deploy in public spaces. (youtube.com)
Haidilao told NBC News the robot “was not malfunctioning or out of control” and said it had been brought “closer to a dining table at a guest’s request,” adding the limited space affected its movement. (nbcnews.com) Video frame-by-frame shows at least three employees restraining the unit by a strap at its neck while another worker appears to consult a phone, suggesting staff searched a mobile app interface during the incident. (techcrunch.com) The original clip surfaced on the Chinese social network Xiaohongshu under user “Meooow,” and outlets place the scene at a Bay Area Haidilao with reporting split between Cupertino and San Jose. (techcrunch.com) Multiple news sites and on‑scene photos identify the platform as resembling AgiBot’s Lingxi X2 (AgiBot X2), a compact humanoid the company exhibited at CES 2026 ahead of commercial pilot deployments. (techcrunch.com) NBC quoted tech analyst Joanna Stern saying the machine “should have a kill switch,” and TechCrunch noted onlookers in the video do not appear to know how to trigger any remote shutdown. (nbcnews.com) Several outlets connected the appearance to a Disney “Zootopia” promotion at the restaurant, and local coverage reported no visible injuries to diners or staff in the footage. (app.eventaware.ai) CES and industry coverage emphasize AgiBot’s push to place X2 units into entertainment and pilot roles, and this incident has been cited repeatedly as an example of why tactile emergency stop mechanisms and clearer operator procedures are being demanded for public deployments. (chinabizinsider.com)
