A robot serves prepared noodles at Beijing"s first fully commercialized robot noodle restaurant in Fengtai district on Aug 5. LIU PING/FOR CHINA DAILY

　　At a new robot noodle restaurant in Beijing, flour and water go into a machine and a steaming bowl of noodles arrives at the table just over three minutes later, with most of the work in between automated.

　　The 400-square-meter restaurant in Fengtai district began trial operations on Friday and is expected to open more widely to the public later this month. Its operator bills it as Beijing"s first fully commercialized robot noodle restaurant.

　　What sets the restaurant apart, the operator said, is not any single machine but the integration of previously independent processes into an end-to-end system designed for commercial operation.

　　Customers order by scanning a QR code at their table. An automated noodle-making machine mixes flour and water, then presses and cuts the dough within seconds. The noodles are cooked automatically before dispensers add sauce, broth and toppings. Robotic arms transfer the finished bowl onto a wheeled delivery robot, which takes it to the customer.

　　Staff members are still needed to replenish ingredients, monitor equipment, prepare drinks and clear used tableware.

　　The menu is deliberately simple for now, offering mushroom zhajiang noodles for 16 yuan ($2.37), and tomato beef brisket noodles and braised beef noodles for 19 yuan each. The three options include both soup and mixed noodles and cater to different spice preferences, with more varieties planned.