Panasonic Corp. said Thursday that it will launch a smart restaurant business in which robots serve food, in cooperation with a major Chinese restaurant chain operator.

The first such restaurant will open in Beijing late this month. The major electronics maker aims to establish such restaurants worldwide.

The smart restaurant business will be operated through a joint company Panasonic set up with the partner, Haidilao International Holding Ltd., in Singapore in March.

Haidilao runs some 360 hot pot restaurants in China, the United States, Japan and elsewhere.

The joint company, established with capital of $20 million, is owned 51 percent by Haidilao and 49 percent by Panasonic.

At smart restaurants, robots with arms will collect food items for hot pot dishes in kitchens based on orders from customers. Part of the work of serving food will be also automated.