YO! Sushi (in the United Kingdom) introduced in June 2013 the iTray—a quadcopter, controlled by an iPad, to deliver food to customers. The iTray was dubbed “The world’s first flying waiter” by a YO! Sushi YouTube video on June 7, 2013.
 
       
YouTube
YO! Sushi: The world’s first flying waiter
YOSushiVids
Published on Jun 7, 2013
www.yosushi.com
 
Digital Trends
iTray: UK sushi chain launches world’s first ‘flying waiter’
By Trevor Mogg — June 10, 2013
British restaurant chain YO! Sushi has launched what it says is the world’s first flying tray, a kind of airborne waiter capable of delivering food to tables faster than the more traditional leg-equipped variety.
 
The so-called iTray (check it out in the video below), which is apparently capable of reaching speeds of up to 25mph, took off from the kitchen of the restaurant’s flagship store in London over the weekend.
 
Essentially a modified quad-copter , the flying machine is controlled by an iPad, with a member of staff tilting the tablet to control its movement. It features two built-in cameras so the ‘pilot’ can accurately guide the food-laden tray to diners’ tables before flying it back to the kitchen.
 
Eater
Yo! Sushi Unleashes Food Delivery Helicopter in London
Monday, June 10, 2013, by Jasmin Sun
UK-based chain Yo! Sushi is testing an airborne “flying waiter” that could soon be used to deliver orders to customers. To celebrate the release of its Yo! Burger, the company has created the iTray, an iPad-controlled food delivery drone that is flown in the direction of a party’s table after being loaded with food. According to the

, the iTray is equipped with four rotors and can travel at up to 25 miles an hour, more than six times a waiter’s usual walking speed.

Despite the fact that a remote-controlled flying drone carrying uncovered plates of food through a busy restaurant might not be the most spill-free way to deliver things to people, early customers/test subjects seem to be intrigued. Says diner Mark Rose, “It was delivered as if by magic, like an alien flying saucer bringing food directly onto my table.”