Chicago-based Tapster is bringing it’s self-serving bar to Philadelphia
Chicago-based Tapster is coming to Philadelphia.
Tapster is a bar that allows patrons to pour their own drinks from a selection of 57 taps, in self-serve fashion, which sounds like a great idea, but there’s a catch.
How Tapster Works
Upon arrival, you are given a card that’s linked to your form of payment, which you can then use at any of the taps available.
From there, you’re charged by the ounce, allowing for sampling or entire pints. Each ounce is priced differently depending on your beer of choice.
The cards have “set limits” for when a guest is cut off, which adjusts based on what the individual is drinking and the alcohol by volume.
Cool. Let me add this place to my list of “Places I’ll Never Go in Philadelphia”. Why on Earth would anyone want to go to Tapster and be cut off by robots?
Honestly, it comes off as the first step in letting robots control humans by saying what we can drink, and how much of it we can actually consume.
I would like to know how that actually works. What if I walked out and then walked back into Tapster with a different card.
Am I reloaded again to drink myself to death as I so desperately would want to be able to do?
Maybe it’s worth a shot.
Regardless, Philadelphia doesn’t take too kindly to robots running things. We all remember what happened to that dumb world-traveling Hitchbot who tried to get cute taking a stroll through Philadelphia.
In case you forgot, Eric Fink took a break from trying to get Devan Kaney to go on a date with him on Twitter and provided us with a clear reminder, while expressing his displeasure for the tap limits.
In all seriousness, I’m down for some innovation in the bar industry. However, just like when you’re trying to get a fountain soda in a crowded fast food joint, this probably will be a huge pain in the ass for anyone trying to grab a few beers. Is it worse than trying to flag down a bartender in a crowded bar? I’m not sure, but I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.
