The way to reopen bars in a world slowly coming out of coronavirus hibernation? Robots.
That’s the idea behind Ice+Fries, a new bar in Reykjavik, Iceland that utilizes Makr Shaker’s automated bartender. That drinks slinger “Toni” has two mechanical arms and can shake, muddle, mix and serve up to 150 drinks per hour from a 20,000 recipe book.
As for the safety aspects: The robotic arms are sanitized after each serving, drinks arrive in disposable cups and are served at an “appropriate distance” from customers, who order the cocktails through tablets and get a message when they’re ready.
All set up! A glimpse of Makr Shakr's new location in Reykjavik, ICE + FRIES ✨ combining hi-tech with dreamy vibes, a bit of wanderlust for us at home pic.twitter.com/63I3RydEtP
— Makr Shakr (@makr_shakr) April 16, 2020
Makr Shaker isn’t new; the robot bartender has been installed on Royal Caribbean cruise ships and in stores in Prague, Italy, Dubai and Las Vegas. It’s also not the only robot bartender in town — we’ve tried Barsys, a home unit that does require a bit more human interaction.
One other reason to stop by the bar, besides the waterfront view? There’s an AI-powered bionic puppy named Aibo running about.
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