Miso Robotics, specializing in the restaurant industry, is partnering with Americana Restaurants, a food and beverage operator and a master franchisee which works with brands such as KFC, Pizza Hut, Hardee’s, Krispy Kreme, and TGI Friday’s.
The collaboration will begin with a piloted test of Flippy at Americana Restaurants’ flagship Wimpy location in The Dubai Mall, one of the world’s largest shopping destinations.
Flippy 2, a robotics solution that can independently do the work of an entire fry station, has shown it can optimize operations in quick-service restaurants and is set for further integration and expansion across other Americana Restaurants locations in the months ahead.
With a diverse network of quick- and full-service restaurants across twelve countries, Americana Restaurants recognizes the importance of integrating robotics into its operations to maximize speed of service and ensure consistent quality.
Wimpy, which has been a hamburger staple in the MENA region since the 1970s, underwent a complete revamp in 2021.
With high-quality smashed burgers, fresh ingredients, and a vibrant range of beverages, Wimpy aims to provide the American fast-food experience to families and customers across the region.
The brand currently has 17 active stores across the MENA region and up to 50 additional ones planned.
Melvin Michael, brand director of Wimpy, says: “Americana Restaurants’ partnership with Miso Robotics marks a significant milestone for the company as we continue to strive to address shifting customer behaviors and preferences through state-of-the-art, innovative solutions.
“As the first QSR operator in the MENA region to introduce the use of robotics in its kitchens, Americana Restaurants continues to show its commitment to delivering unique dining experiences to customers at their favorite iconic brands.”
Launched in 2021, Flippy 2 will provide Wimpy’s kitchen with a customizable robotic fry station that will deliver a range of benefits, including a decrease in order-to-delivery time, an increase in food consistency and a better working environment for human team members.
As Americana Restaurants’ first foray into robotics, Flippy 2 will be showcased to Wimpy’s customers in The Dubai Mall’s food court, which welcomes over 100 million visitors every year.
Mike Bell, CEO of Miso Robotics, says: “In the past year, we’ve announced partnerships with some of the largest brands in the US, and that momentum has led to us being pulled internationally to introduce our technology on a global scale.
“Americana Restaurants’ push to scale robotics in their operations is a testament to their superb operating capability in the MENA region.
“This is a true partnership that we see blossoming for many years to come and we wanted to make sure the market was right for future deployment at additional locations. The time is now to take Flippy global, and we have a great partner to do it with.”
Miso Robotics is primarily funded by individual investors and is one of the most successful crowdfund stories in history.
With nearly 20,000 shareholders, the company has raised more than $50 million in crowdfunding to date and is currently in its Series E round, which kicked off with a market valuation of $500 million.
