Think about the last time you went to a big concert, sporting event or play. Did you have to wait in line for a drink?
A Los Angeles startup is trying to make long wait times a thing of the past with a new machine called Rotender.
“One thing that unites us all as Americans is we hate waiting,” quipped Ben Winston, the entrepreneur working to make the Rotender a fixture in venues everywhere.
The automated bartending machine looks like a jukebox, except it dispenses mixed drinks.
The machine holds sixteen bottles of liquor in a carousel plus an automated soda gun. The insides of the machine spin and light up while mixing a drink.
“We found that people want a show they want an experience, and they want to see it get mixed,” explained Winston.
The retro looking setup is approachable and fun, yet reminiscent of something you’d see back in the day.
“It looks like it’s supposed to be there. It looks like it could be in your home, something you’re comfortable with,” explained Winston.
While it looks simple, the device took four years and various hardware and software engineers to figure out how to mix drinks in under 20 seconds.
Select your drink combination from the touch screen and once you pay, the machine springs into action.
I was surprised to see how fast it dispensed the drink. It even mimicked a bartender by dispensing the liquor and the mixer at the same time.
The drink was clean, crisp and perfectly mixed with just the right proportions. There’s no nudging for a heavy pour, either.
Rotender is marketing its solution to large venues with long wait times to get a drink and Winston agreed it’s not meant to replace complicated craft cocktails or the art of bartending.
The goal here is to get drinks in the hands of people fast.
“You want to get to the seat, get back to the game, the show, your life, then use the Rotender,” concluded Winston.
The Rotender can mix a few hundred drinks in a night before it needs restocking and among the first customers is a 15,000-seat arena in Michigan.
