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Futuristic server creates memorable experience for Clearwater bowlers

By FOX 13 News Staff
Published  June 25, 2022 11:37am EDT
Clearwater
FOX 13 News

Bowling alley robot

The main attraction at a Clearwater bowling alley has nothing to do with the sport and everything to do with the future.

CLEARWATER, Fla. - The newest member at a Clearwater bowling alley is generating a lot of attention and may be the wave of the future.

Bella is a robot server that sings and delivers snacks to bowlers.

"We recently just got Bella. She’s been fantastic. She is a robot that delivers food and also creates a great customer experience singing happy birthday. She’s just overall fantastic," stated Megan Briody, the general manager at Maples Lanes Countryside Bowling Alley.

Robot servers are a fairly modern concept and exciting for customers.

"I haven’t seen many bowling centers with it or many locations with it, so we’re kind of ahead of the game on having that technology here," shared Briody.

Children love interacting with BellaBot as parents pull out their cell phones to take pictures and video.

"So Bella has sensors where it will navigate directly to the lane but won’t run over anything," explained Briody.

READ South Tampa restaurant’s robotic waiter may be wave of the future

The futuristic server knows its surroundings and can even direct guests to their lanes.

"On a business side, it’s been great for our café. When we have two cooks cooking instead of pulling away from the cooking to run the food, Bella then takes that role, runs the food to the lane," added Briody.

Happy birthday mode can be programmed with a simple app. Bella will sing the famed song down the lane when welcoming the birthday person. In addition to singing, Bella also delivers food.

"I like how workers don’t have to carry the pizza," said Bailee Estep, a child excited to see the new tech.

"A lot of people here like it and everybody would come here back again, everyday maybe, to get pizza just to see that thing," shared Lawson Estep.

Bella can also be programmed to celebrate a great bowling game.

Maples Lanes Countryside Bowling Alley is located at 27867 US Highway 19 N, Clearwater, FL, United States, 33761.

For more information visit www.maplelanes.com/countryside or call (727) 796-8100.