A Japanese restaurant has been using two monkeys as part time waiters.

The Kayabukiya tavern in the city of Utsunomiya employs a pair of Japanese macaque called Yat-chan and Fuku-chan to serve their customers.

The monkeys work two hour shifts and hand customers hot towels to clean their hands and serve drinks.

Customer, 34-year-old Takayoshi Soeno said: "The monkeys are actually better waiters than some really bad human ones."

The owner of the tavern, Kaoru Otsuka, said the monkeys were household pets.

He said: "Yat-chan first learned by just watching me working in the restaurant. It all started when one day I gave him a hot towel out of curiosity and he brought the towel to the customer."

The owner has just received another three baby monkeys and he is working on getting them behind the bar one day.

© Independent Television News Limited 2009. All rights reserved.