Miami Dadeland and the AC Hotel Offer Robot Food Delivery to Guests

The AC Hotel Miami Dadeland, located next to Dadeland Mall, has robots roaming around.

This month, the hotel announced it would begin offering contactless robot food delivery service in partnership with Cartken and FanFood, the app used to place the orders.

According to AC Hotel Miami Dadeland director of sales and marketing Maria Maloney, the move was spurred by the Dadeland Mall's launch and use of a small fleet of delivery robots late last year.

"After opening the hotel in October, we were excited to be one of Miami's first hotels to partner with both Cartken and FanFood," Maloney tells New Times. "COVID definitely spurred the idea and expedited this, but our goal with implementing these robots was really about customer service: What better way to offer an additional novel and innovative service to our guests and extended-stay customers?"

The move positions the AC on a growing list of U.S. hotels that are ushering in a new era of robotic services and technologies — and the first Miami venue to offer delivery using Cartken's autonomous robots.

Upon check-in at AC Hotel Miami Dadeland, guests will be provided with a QR code that directs them to FanFood's website, where they can order from participating restaurants within the Dadeland Mall Dining Pavilion.

The service is designed to transport goods over short distances using a web-based ordering platform. Once an order is placed, robots receive and deliver it to the hotel's lobby. Along the way, guests receive text-message updates as their order progresses and are provided with a link to track the delivery in real time. Once the delivery reaches the lobby, each order is assigned a unique PIN for the customer to unlock the robot's lid.

As with other Cartken delivery bots, these Dadeland robots can detect and avoid moving objects within a five-meter radius, mitigating the risk of bumping into unsuspecting guests. The sensors also detect when the door is opened, allowing the robot to enter the lobby and wait for guests to retrieve their food from its cargo compartment.

This contactless service boasts delivery times of 10 to 15 minutes. Options in the Dining Pavilion include Charley's and Guaca-Mole, with additional restaurants scheduled to join the platform later this month.

"The feedback has been quite positive, and so many people have commented on that 'wow' factor, as this is such a fun technology and feature to bring to a hotel," Mahoney reports. "It gives people something to talk about their stay with us in Miami."

The hotel also offers a pool deck with a bar and restaurant, AC Kitchen. Add robots to the mix, and you might have the makings of a weekend staycation.