"We used the robot because the restaurant industry is currently facing recruitment problems," explains Geoffrey Ruamps, manager of the CAP180 restaurant in Cahors, a town in the western part of France. Every lunchtime, "Bella" serves the regulars at this restaurant. While some customers have embraced it, others are more sceptical: "If we paid people better, we would have more staff," says one of the restaurant's customers. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES