Rotender

Rotender offers a robotic vending machine that serves drinks. Each unit can hold up to 16 one-liter bottles and five types of syrups. The robots are capable of making ice and come equipped with an automated soda gun. The company claims the machine can make a drink within 15 seconds and serve more than 350 drinks in a single refill.

Customers can order via the company’s mobile app by scanning the QR code on the vending machine. Once the order is placed and paid for, customers can place their glass in the machine, upon which the robot starts mixing the drink. The machine also tracks the number of drinks served to each customer and is capable of pausing the service to avoid over-serving customers.

The robots are available under a USD 999 per month lease, and the company charges an additional fee per drink depending on the venue. It is primarily pitched towards high-volume locations, focusing on more straightforward beverages such as rum and coke or gin and tonic. The robots do not feature articulating arms, hence the inability to mix more complex drinks. However, the robots bring the advantages of low cost and speed. In comparison, Café X Technologies offers a robotic coffee bar with articulating arms for a price of USD 200,000.

As of February 2021, Rotender was preparing for a pilot program with a bar in Los Angeles and had the capacity to serve clients in California and Nevada.