Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Biloxi is adding yet another cutting-edge establishment to their already exciting list of venues. Robo Bar, a robotic bar system designed by the Italian company MAKR SHAKR, is the world’s first, award-winning robotic bar system opened at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Biloxi on Thursday, January 25.
Robo Bar Biloxi is not only the first robotic bar experience in operation on the Gulf Coast, it is also the second land-based robotic bar in the United States. Currently there is only one other bar in operation on the Las Vegas Strip. Robo Bar includes two robotic arms that can make 120 drinks per hour, knows billions of drink combinations and offers 140 different ingredients for guests to choose from.
To create and order drinks, guests can access a customised app on pre-set tablets. All the orders currently in queue and the ingredients being added are displayed on four 92-inch LED screens, along with real-time infographics and videos. Robo Bar guests can watch the robots muddle, stir, shake, strain and serve drinks in a highly social, exciting and interactive environment. These robotic arms mimic the actions of a real bartender, from the shaking of a cocktail to the slicing of a lemon to the muddling of a Cuba Libre. In order to create an even more engaging bar experience, all the robots movements were modelled on the gestures of the Italian dancer and choreographer Marco Pelle from the New York Theatre Ballet.
“Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Biloxi strives to provide cutting-edge experiences within our gaming, dining, entertainment and nightlife offerings”, says Todd Raziano, general manager of Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Biloxi. “When technological advances create compelling, cutting-edge customer experiences, we feel the need to offer this one-of-a-kind experience to our guests. There is nothing ‘ordinary’ about a visit to Hard Rock Biloxi. And there is certainly nothing ‘ordinary’ about Robo Bar.”
Robo Bar is located just outside Hard Rock Cafe Biloxi, near the main lobby overlooking the pool and Mississippi Sound. Robo Bar is open Monday through Thursday, 2:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 12:00 p.m. until 2:00 a.m. and Sunday from 12:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. In addition to the robots, Robo Bar also employ ‘human’ staff members, including ambassadors, hosts and technicians to service the unit and replenish items as needed.
Mike Barlow, senior vice president of operations for Twin River Management Group, the ownership group for Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Biloxi, discovered this technology in 2017 and got to work right away with MAKR SHAKR on how to bring this stimulating and novel concept to Hard Rock Biloxi. “When we saw this in action in Vegas, we knew instantly this would be something our Biloxi patrons would enjoy,” said Barlow. “We want our guests to experience things at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Biloxi that they can’t find anywhere else on the Gulf Coast – or anywhere on the eastern half of the United States for that matter! We pride ourselves on delivering superior, revolutionary products time and time again for all of our hotel and casino properties throughout the US and Robo Bar will surely be one of our most exciting venues yet.”
