'Shark Tank' viewers slam RoboBurger over freshness as burger vending machine churns out $7 reheated patty
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: In today's modern society, we can receive practically anything with the press of a button, even a freshly prepared burger. With the debut of RoboBurger, you can now have burgers in only a few minutes, but 'Shark Tank' fans are doubting the burger's freshness.
RoboBurger operates similarly to a vending machine, delivering burgers across the bay. The entrepreneurs showed their amazing features and advantages to the sharks in episode 21 of ABC's 'Shark Tank' season 15, who were asking $1.5 million for 5%.
Even though Sharks seem to enjoy it, viewers seemed concerned as they wrote on Reddit, "This is garbage. Reheated patty on a bun with no veggies? And you want $7? I can get a burger out of the fridge at 7/11 for half that and pop it in the microwave for 90 seconds. It's gonna be just about as good. I can load up a $2 hotdog with onions, pico, relish..."
Another person pointed out, "The real problem is unless someone is rotating meat stocks daily, you need a way to stock these things with frozen patties that are thawed and prepped for cooking at the perfect time. Otherwise, you have refrigerated burgers that go bad, or people not being able to order because patties are still thawing. I see it in a partially staffed fast food joint where humans can load it, but I can’t see it as a completely autonomous solution."
One user observed, "RoboFood is coming but I feel like nobody has mastered a lot of the complexities without human intervention."
On X, one fan wrote, "Wouldn't trust that everything would be fresh & safe to eat."
No. Wouldn't trust that everything would be fresh & safe to eat.
— Anchboy71 (@anchboy71) April 20, 2024
'Shark Tank's RoboBurger is the world's first burger vending machine
The term "burger vending machine" is misleading, as the RoboBurger is not just a vending machine, but also an upgrade for your burger. It resembles a vending machine; a 12-square-foot, bright red box that plugs into the wall and includes a screen to pick up your purchase (or an app for touchless ordering).
However, it's promoted as a completely autonomous burger restaurant, claiming to be a burger chef in a vending style. A sign on the wall behind the first machine in Newport Centre Mall in Jersey City reads, "Fresh burgers made by a robot."
So, unlike a vending machine, this machine does more than merely drop prepared burgers into a slot for immediate consumption. Audley Wilson told Today that there is a refrigerator and griddle inside, as well as a burger-like fragrance that can be regulated.
The firm claims to be the only hot food vending machine recognized by the National Sanitary Foundation, emphasizing its commitment to sanitation on its website.
'Shark Tank's RoboBurger promises to deliver burgers in 4 minutes
Part of the reason RoboBurger is known as a robot chef is that its cooking procedure is comparable to that of a human chef at a restaurant. The patties are cooked on both sides before being served with toasted buns.
The condiments are pressed onto the bun, and the burger parts are assembled. The entire process takes less than four minutes and costs $6.99.
You can pick typical condiments like ketchup, mustard, mayo, and relish, but not uncommon toppings like lettuce, tomato, or onion. The robo-chef can customize your burger with spicy sauce or cheese sauce.
Even though burgers are RoboBurger's bread and butter, the traditional Angus beef and potato bun burger is not the only choice. Plant-based burgers include a spicy black bean burger and a garden burger.
The RoboEgg offers pork or breakfast sausage and eggs on a bun to satisfy your morning fast food cravings.
RoboBurger secured $10M before 'Shark Tank' appearance
RoboBurger is headquartered in Jersey City, New Jersey, and promises to be the "biggest innovation in hot food vending since the invention of the microwave." About three years after its inception, the on-the-go burger vending machine firm had a lavish ribbon-cutting event inside Jersey City's Newport Centre Mall.
In October of the same year, the creative business raised $10 million in the Seed 2 round of investment, collaborating with Promethean Investments LLP, a London-based private equity firm.
'Shark Tank' Season 15 airs on Fridays on ABC at 8 pm ET.
For those who missed the episode, it will be available on demand the following day and on Hulu. Additionally, viewers can explore past seasons and episodes on Amazon Prime Video and iTunes.