California burger chain makes Florida debut

FORT MYERS — CaliBurger is officially in Florida.

The Santa Monica, Calif.-based burger chain’s first Florida store, in Fort Myers, opened Nov. 27, according to a statement. The location is in University Village Shops, near Florida Gulf Coast University.  

CaliBurger signed an area development agreement to enter the Florida market in partnership with Jeff Burns and Tim Frederic, formerly a multi-unit McDonald's operator. The location, according to the statement, also takes a tech-forward approach to fast-casual dining: employees work alongside robotic kitchen assistants to prepare meals while guests order from a PopID kiosk, a digital authentication system.

“We’re excited to bring this innovation to the marketplace,” Frederic says in the statement. “And our employees are getting first-hand experience working with robotic technology to prepare them for a future of high-level tech in the workplace. It’s a really cool opportunity.”

The robotic technology, Flippy, debuted last year in California. The Fort Myers location, CaliBurger 2.0, will have an additional Flippy, who, according to a previous statement, will "produce crispy French fries on the fry station" while his cousin "cooks burgers to perfection on the grill." This marks the first time there will be two Flippy robots working together simultaneously, company officials say.

Marlins Brewhouse shares a dining space with the new CaliBurger 2.0, the statement adds.