Restaurant in Havana defies Cuba’s tech struggles

Havana: For Sonia Pérez, stepping into Havana’s Doña Alicia restaurant felt like entering a movie. Even as Cuba struggles with power outages and technological scarcity, this eatery has leaped into the 21st century with digital menus, Alexa-enabled assistance, touchless bathrooms and even a food-delivering robot.

“I thought I was in a cartoon movie!” said the 64-year-old government employee. “I wish there were more of these in Cuba... We are really very behind in technology.”

While commonplace globally, such automation is a complex feat in Cuba due to the island’s frequent power cuts and a lack of modern technology.

Opened seven years ago, the restaurant gradually embraced technology, starting with tablets at tables, followed by Alexa services and culminating in the arrival of Doña Alicia — a food-delivering robot named after the owner’s grandmother — who now assists human waiters in the dining room.