Pasadena’s Inventive Robot-Chef Caliburger Restaurant Opens Second Location

CaliBurger, the global quick-service restaurant chain that opened its Kitchen Lab in Pasadena in 2016, will soon unveil its first “CaliBurger 2.0” in Fort Myers, Florida, with other similar stores opening in Seattle, Tysons in Virginia, and again in Pasadena later in the year.

Caliburger 2.0 will feature a new menu that incorporates the best products from CaliBurger in the Washington DC market, and the Kitchen Lab in Pasadena, a report in Total Food Service Friday said.

The Fort Myers location, as well as the other upcoming Caliburger 2.0 stores, will have Flippy, Miso Robotics’ burger-flipping kitchen assistant, working in the kitchen.

Flippy, developed by Miso Robotics, also based in Pasadena, debuted at the Pasadena location in 2017.

Customers can also order the new products on self-ordering kiosks incorporating PopID, a digital facial recognition platform allowing them to pay with a smile instead of a credit card, according to the report.

PopID streamlines the ordering process by remembering previous orders and personalizing the ordering experience, without having to fumble for cash or credit cards. The friendly staff also offers the traditional ordering experience in-store.

At the Fort Myers location, guests can enjoy watching not one but two “Flippys” in the kitchen: one cooks burgers to perfection on the grill, and another produces crispy french fries on the fry station.

According to the report, the new CaliBurger 2.0 menu includes the Santa Monica Burger, Malibu BLT Burger and Beyond Cali, a 100-percent vegan interpretation of the CaliDouble.

CaliBurger said it is also unveiling a Crispy K-Town Chicken Sandwich with Asian slaw and spicy Gochujang sauce.

Caliburger in Pasadena, located at 245 E Green Street, is currently under renovation, according to the restaurant’s website.

For more information, visit www.caliburger.com.