Diners at a Haidilao hot-pot restaurant in San Jose got more drama than dessert on Tuesday when a dancing service robot suddenly went off-script, knocking plates to the ground and sending chopsticks flying as staff rushed in to shut it down. Grainy video of the scene shows employees ducking out of the way and eventually wrestling the humanoid to the floor while customers look on. The short clip appears to have been filmed during a promotional event and shows no obvious injuries.
A malfunctioning service robot dances uncontrollably at a Haidilao hotpot restaurant in San Jose, California, knocking over tableware as staff members attempt to restrain it, March 2026. pic.twitter.com/6DFCojpeTS
— Future Adam Curtis B-Roll (@adamcurtisbroll) March 17, 2026
Robot Freakout Caught on Video
The clip, posted to X by user Tansu Yegen, shows a humanoid in an orange apron flailing through the dining area and knocking over tableware, according to Futurism. At one point, an employee appears to grip the robot near the neck while staring at a phone, apparently trying to pull up controls as the chaos unfolds.
Haidilao's Robotics Push
Haidilao has been leaning into automation for years, from tray-carrying delivery robots to fully “smart” kitchens, as detailed in an Associated Press report republished by the LA Times. The chain also launched a pilot smart outlet in Beijing in 2018 that used robotic arms and automated guided vehicles, according to People's Daily.
Online Reaction and Safety Questions
Once the footage hit social platforms, users quickly zeroed in on one detail: how exactly the staff managed to power the bot down. A Reddit thread pointed out what looked like the absence of a clearly marked emergency power-off switch, and commenters across multiple subreddits and feeds questioned whether restaurants that deploy service robots should be required to install obvious manual shutdowns in case something goes wrong.
What We Know and What’s Next
Reporting from Futurism identifies the location as a Haidilao in San Jose and notes that the robot’s appearance coincided with a promotional tie-in for Disney’s “Zootopia 2.” The brief clip has revived broader questions about how quickly human staff can step in and safely regain control when a robot starts misbehaving on a crowded dining floor.
