In Japan, two very special waiters have become internationally famous. Yatchan and Fukuchan are waiters in a restaurant north of Tokyo. They serve customers hot towels and drinks and are tipped in a very special currency…. soy beans….. why not real money? Because they are - monkeys!

How did this happen? The family that runs the restaurant welcomed Yatchan and Fukuchan into their home as pets. The owner, Mr Otsuka, says that the monkeys watched him serving customers and remembered how to do it. Monkey see, monkey do, right? “Lots of customers come to watch the monkeys. They work every day,” said Mr Otsuka. And they seem to have fun while doing it!

The question is: Are monkeys better waiters? I think so. I’d prefer monkeys to lazy waiters who never let me order or pay when I want to.