FAQ and support
Don’t see your question? Email drinkdockhq@gmail.com.
Buying and pricing
What does a DrinkDock cost?
It depends on the model, the term and how you buy: lease, purchase or event rental. Leases include install, Manager, service and warranty. Ask for the pricing sheet and we’ll send it within two business days.
Who keeps the drink revenue?
You do. The machine sells your inventory under your license, and payouts go to your bank account nightly, minus card processing.
When can we get one?
We’re forming our first Philadelphia pilot now with a small group of bars and hotels, with first installs planned for 2027 after PLCB review. Talk to us to be considered.
Will you be outside Pennsylvania?
Not at first. Our pilot is in Philadelphia. Tell us where you are, and we’ll let you know when we reach your state.
Running it
How long does install take?
About an hour once the spot is ready. The One and Compact plug into a standard outlet with no plumbing or electrician. The Duo needs a dedicated 20A circuit. See the placement plan for space and doorways.
Who stocks it, and with what?
Your team, with drinks from your distributor, at your prices. Topping off a few rows takes a few minutes, and Manager texts whoever is on restock when a row hits your threshold.
Won’t it just move sales from the bar to the machine?
Some of it will, and moved sales aren’t new revenue. They’re time back for your bartenders. Manager records everything the machine sells, but it can’t tell on its own which of those sales are new. Finding that out means comparing similar nights with and without the machine, which we’d plan with you in a pilot.
What about tips?
Your choice. The machine can show a tip screen that pools to the bar staff, or none at all.
What happens if it breaks on a Saturday?
It depends on what breaks.
- A jammed row. The machine switches that row off, alerts staff in Manager, and every other row keeps selling. If a bestseller is in more than one row, it keeps selling too.
- A can that doesn’t arrive. The machine tries another row with the same drink. If that fails, the guest isn’t charged and the screen sends them to the bar.
- Scanner or camera. Alcohol sales on that machine stop until it’s fixed. Water and soda keep selling.
- Payments. All sales on that machine stop. Nothing dispenses without an ID check and an approved card.
- Network. The machine switches to its LTE backup. If both drop, sales stop.
During the pilot, one of our team is on call by phone through your service hours, including Friday and Saturday nights, and we watch pilot machines remotely. If a fix needs a part or a visit, we’ll arrange it as soon as we can and agree the response time with each pilot venue up front.
Does it work with our POS?
The machine runs its own payments, with your venue as the merchant of record, nightly payouts and CSV exports for reconciliation. Toast and Square integrations are on our roadmap.
What happens while it’s being restocked?
Opening the glass door pauses sales on that machine, and the screen tells guests it’ll be back in a few minutes. Closing the door resumes sales.
What if a guest doesn’t take their can?
The pickup port door opens when the can arrives. If nobody takes it within two minutes, the status light turns amber and the bar tablet shows an uncollected drink for staff to clear.
How is this different from self-pour beer taps?
Self-pour walls need plumbing, draft lines and a staff member to hand out cards. DrinkDock sells sealed cans and bottles, needs one outlet, and checks ID at the machine. It’s built for the end of an existing bar, not a whole taproom.
Compliance
Is this legal in Pennsylvania?
The machine sells under your license, from your inventory, with ID checks and staff controls, and you stay responsible for every sale. The PLCB hasn’t issued an opinion on DrinkDock yet. For each pilot venue we request a written advisory opinion describing that venue’s setup, and we don’t install without a clear answer. Details on the compliance page.
What stops someone from buying for a friend who’s had too much?
The same thing that stops it at the bar: your staff. The machine sits in their sightline, allows two drinks per scan, and staff can block that guest’s ID from their sale in Manager or pause the machine.
What about fake IDs, or someone else’s ID?
The scanner validates the barcode and declines expired or invalid cards, and the camera checks the guest matches the ID photo. No scanner or camera catches every fake, which is why the machine stays within sight of your staff.
Do you keep guests’ ID data?
Only what your records and the limits need: the check result, the time, the expiration date, and a one-way code made from the ID number that is deleted at close. No photos or face images. We never sell or share scan data.
For guests
How do I pay?
Tap a contactless card or your phone (Apple Pay, Google Pay or Samsung Pay), or insert a chip card.
What if my drink doesn’t come out?
You’re charged when your drink reaches the pickup port. If it doesn’t arrive, the machine tries another row with the same drink. If that doesn’t work either, you’re not charged and the screen sends you to the bar.
Why does the machine look at my face?
To check that you’re the person on the ID. After you scan the back, you hold the front to the scanner, and the camera compares your face with the ID photo. It’s a one-to-one check done on the machine, and neither image is kept.
Can I use a passport or a foreign license?
Not at the machine. It reads U.S. driver’s licenses and state IDs. With a passport or a license from outside the U.S., order at the bar.
Can I use a mobile ID?
Not yet. For now the machine reads physical driver’s licenses and state IDs.