The dining public has long been delighted by automation. Consider the automats of the 20th century, conveyor-belt sushi in the early 21st, and the humble, ubiquitous vending machine. Contact-free dining has brought us speed, convenience, and – yes – novelty. Simultaneously drawing inspiration from a bygone era and utilizing technology that seemingly comes from the future, operators are reinventing contact-free dining.
This evolution is equally driven by operators and diners. Operators, facing suddenly increasing demand combined with an ongoing labor shortage, are seeking creative, revenue-generating solutions. Diners, eager to eat out and do it safely, are simply more aware of the amount of contact traditionally in the dining room. Of course, both sides share an increased priority to limit unnecessary contact, to protect diners and employees alike.
Expectations have changed, yet we still want to feel like we’re in a restaurant. Enter the hybrid model, the best of both worlds, combining the advantages of contact-free service with the warmth of human interaction. Washington D.C.’s newly opened Tap99 exemplifies this evolving model by combining a classic dining experience with a very innovative bar experience. It’s the first fully self-pour pub in DC with, yes, 99 taps serving rotating selections of beer, wine, cider, seltzer, and cocktails.
On entry, customers are given a contactless smart card linked to their chosen form of payment. It activates any of the 99 self-pour taps, which are connected to touchscreens for easy selection. Patrons are charged by the ounce, allowing them to easily sample Tap99’s vast selection. The result is an interactive experience with fewer points of contact and shorter wait times. The gastropub atmosphere remains, thanks to a playful menu and the high-volume kitchen that makes it possible.
Singer Equipment Company was proud to work with the Tap99 team on their kitchen design and build out. Ninety-nine taps call for an equally impressive kitchen and our team, led by James Feustel and Dave Ball, was certainly up to the challenge. The kitchen and menu are anchored by a cool black, Rotator brick pizza oven from Marra Forni, bringing high-tech functionality to pizza making, and allowing for consistent, high-volume output. Alongside the pies, you’ll find riffs on classic bar bites and shared plates, thanks to a reliable and powerful Pitco fryer and Southbend range and griddle. Hoshizaki’s Crescent Cube icemaker, refrigeration from Hoshizaki and Turbo Air, and stainless steel worktables and sinks throughout from John Boos and Krowne complete the kitchen.
Whether it’s contact-free taps, contact-free delivery options, or using a smart phone to view a menu, order, and pay, choices for operators to innovate are only increasing. We need these options in 2021, for obvious reasons, but I maintain there’s something fascinating about them too. Do I feel like an astronaut when I wave a card and the result is beer? Yes. The future, it seems, is here.
Start building the kitchen of your future today, with Singer Equipment Company. For more information, please contact marketing@singerequipment.com.
Photography provided by KC Photo and Media