The top 5 stories in hospitality this week 08/03 - 11/03

• There was excitement in the restaurant world as it was revealed that Samba Brands is set to open a second Duck & Waffle in London.​ The company has reportedly signed up to take a unit at the St James's Market development at 52 Haymarket.

• Duck & Waffle will reportedly be joined at the site by the first London outpost of the two Michelin-starred New York restaurant Aquavit. The venue - which serves high-end Nordic cuisine - has reportedly taken the second of seven restaurant spaces at the development.​

• Robot butlers and bartenders could be staffing hotels by 2020​ as guests become more open to the idea. A new study has found evidence of warming human-cyborg relations, with Japanese company Toshiba creating three human-like 'communication androids' to staff hotel receptions in Toyko.

• Bar-side dining is growing in popularity in the UK with just over half of diners visiting restaurants just to eat at the bar, according to new research. Restaurants are altering their menus in response to the trend, with 61 per cent planning to invest in their bar areas over the next twelve months. ​

• Chef Paul Foster hit his £100,000 crowdfunding target to open his first restaurant Salt in Warwickshire.​ The chef - who reached his goal just 17 hours before the project ended - described the process as 'overwhelming'.

For a full run-down of this week's news see here.​​