Americana Restaurants begins first global deployment of a scaled robotics system in the restaurant industry

Today, Miso Robotics - the company transforming the restaurant industry with robotics and intelligent automation - announced a partnership with Americana Restaurants - a leading F&B operator and a master franchisee known for bringing iconic global brands such as KFC, Pizza Hut, Hardee's, Krispy Kreme, and TGI Friday's to the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). The collaboration will begin with a piloted test of Flippy 2 at Americana Restaurants' flagship Wimpy location in The Dubai Mall, one of the world's largest shopping destinations. Flippy 2, a robotics solution that can independently do the work of an entire fry station, has shown it can optimize operations in quick-service restaurants and is set for further integration and expansion across other Americana Restaurants locations in the months ahead.

With a diverse network of quick- and full-service restaurants across twelve countries, Americana Restaurants recognizes the importance of integrating robotics into its operations to maximize speed of service and ensure consistent quality. Wimpy, which has been a hamburger staple in the MENA region since the 1970s, underwent a complete revamp in 2021. With high-quality smashed burgers, fresh ingredients, and a vibrant range of beverages, Wimpy aims to provide the American fast-food experience to families and customers across the region. The brand currently has 17 active stores across the MENA region and up to 50 additional ones planned.

"Americana Restaurants' partnership with Miso Robotics marks a significant milestone for the company as we continue to strive to address shifting customer behaviors and preferences through state-of-the-art, innovative solutions," said Melvin Michael, Brand Director of Wimpy. "As the first QSR operator in the MENA region to introduce the use of robotics in its kitchens, Americana Restaurants continues to show its commitment to delivering unique dining experiences to customers at their favorite iconic brands."

Launched in 2021, Flippy 2 will provide Wimpy's kitchen with a customizable robotic fry station that will deliver a range of benefits, including a decrease in order-to-delivery time, an increase in food consistency and a better working environment for human team members. As Americana Restaurants' first foray into robotics, Flippy 2 will be showcased to Wimpy's customers in The Dubai Mall's food court, which welcomes over 100 million visitors every year.

"In the past year, we've announced partnerships with some of the largest brands in the U.S., and that momentum has led to us being pulled internationally to introduce our technology on a global scale," said Mike Bell, CEO of Miso Robotics. "Americana Restaurants' push to scale robotics in their operations is a testament to their superb operating capability in the MENA region. This is a true partnership that we see blossoming for many years to come and we wanted to make sure the market was right for future deployment at additional locations. The time is now to take Flippy global, and we have a great partner to do it with."

Miso Robotics is primarily funded by individual investors and is one of the most successful crowdfund stories in history. With nearly 20,000 shareholders, the company has raised more than $50 million in crowdfunding to date and is currently in its Series E round, which kicked off with a market valuation of $500 million.

About Americana Restaurants
Americana Restaurants owns exclusive franchise rights for the management and operation representing some of the world's leading Food & Beverage brands including KFC, Pizza Hut, Hardee's, Krispy Kreme, Wimpy, TGI Fridays, etc. in 13 markets across the Middle East, North Africa, and CIS.

About Wimpy
In Bloomington Indiana, back in 1934, Edward Gold created Wimpy Grills. A fast-food joint inspired by the Popeye cartoon character, Wimpy quickly expanded outside the US making a name for itself in the UK, South Africa and the Middle East. Since 1969, Wimpy is serving up delicious burgers to customers in Kuwait and Egypt, introducing the region to good old American fast food. With 16 locations across Egypt and Kuwait, Wimpy is planning its' UAE launch this year.

About Miso Robotics
Miso Robotics is revolutionizing commercial foodservice through intelligent automation solutions that solve some of the largest gaps in back-of-house kitchen operations. Ready to make an immediate financial impact on a restaurant's bottom line, Miso's AI-driven platform incorporates robotics, machine learning, computer vision and data analytics to power and develop its breakthrough products, including: Flippy 2, CookRight and Sippy.

With real industry knowledge and learnings accrued through brand partnerships over its first five years, Miso's products are constantly evolving to drive consistency, increase productivity, reduce costs and improve the overall dining experience. Miso is now accepting new investors for its Series E round. To invest in the future of restaurant automation, visit: https://invest.misorobotics.com.