Several restaurants in eastern China are using artificial intelligence (AI) robots to cook as many as 100 dishes to cut costs, sparking a heated discussion on social media.

In Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, at least three such eateries have been operating for months, Zhejiang TV reported.

One of them, 24 Jieqi Robot Restaurant in the Xihu district uses eight robots which handle ordering, serving, cleaning and cooking. They have shared 60 per cent of the total workload of kitchen workers, the report said.

Before customers place orders, the robots perform an “AI analysis” by scanning their faces and tongues and asking them to complete a simple questionnaire.

The robots then create a report about the customer’s lifestyle, emotions and digestion status before recommending seasonal health-focused dishes.

According to the restaurant’s manager Cai Haitang, the robots can cook more than 100 dishes, including Three Cup Chicken, which is stewed chicken with three cups of key condiments, Crab Roe Tofu and Braised Pork Trotters.

Some robots are also good at making Pian Er Chuan, a Hangzhou speciality soup noodle with preserved vegetables, sliced pork and bamboo shoots.