Not Your Grandma's Soda Fountain: How Sidework Is Revolutionizing Dispensed Beverages
The old-school soda fountain was once the beating heart of American social life. The image of soda jerks in crisp uniforms (that’s actually what they were called, the folks that served sodas), carefully crafting root beer floats and cherry phosphates behind gleaming counters? Classic, timeless, and… outdated.
Now, Sidework is leading a new beverage revolution - one that makes traditional dispensers look as unfashionable as the soda jerk’s paper hat.
From Soda Jerk to Sidework
The evolution of dispensed beverages tells a story of continuous innovation:
1850s: Pharmacists manually mixed syrups and carbonated water, a drink at a time.
1950s: Soda fountains simplified the experience, with mechanical dispensers replacing handcrafted methods.
1980s–2010s: Self-serve soda machines with limited options became the norm in fast-food restaurants and convenience stores.
Today: Sidework's intelligent beverage platform is redefining what’s possible - with precision, creativity, and speed unlike anything the world has seen.
Intelligence Changes Everything
Sidework didn’t just tweak the old soda dispenser model. We completely reimagined it. Instead of just pumping out cola or lemonade, our intelligent technology builds any cold beverage you can imagine at the push of a button.
Beyond Soda
With Sidework, a menu isn't limited to traditional sodas. One piece of hardware now serves up customized cold brew, tea infusions, high-performance energy drinks, cocktails, refreshers with layered flavors, and more. If you can imagine it, our technology can dispense it.
Consistency You Can Count On
From shift to shift and employee to employee, drinks used to come out differently. Now, every single recipe is served perfectly, every time. Our dispensers feature precise measurements, consistent temperature controls, and automated ingredient ratios. No matter who’s behind the counter, the quality stays the same.
Speed That Changes the Game
For high-volume cafés, QSRs, theaters, and specialty beverage spots, speed is everything. Sidework offers an level of efficiency and service that would otherwise be impossible.
Complex beverages crafted in seconds
Multiple drinks made at the same time
No bottlenecks during peak periods
Faster service, higher ticket volume, happier customers
A New Era for Customers
Beyond operational wins, Sidework transforms the customer experience.
Today’s guests expect their drinks their way - and Sidework delivers full customization without the operational lift usually associated with it. Our tech automatically adjusts sweetness, strength, and caffeine levels with perfect precision, so customers are always happy.
Sidework also unlocks new beverage possibilities and allows you to break traditional boundaries when it comes to what’s practical and possible with beverage innovation:
Explore coffee-soda fusions with perfect carbonation
Offer layered drinks that features a different taste in every sip
Create functional drinks dosed with wellness ingredients
Why It Matters for Operators
Sidework isn’t just new tech - it’s a powerful business tool that offers:
Labor Optimization: Complex drinks, no complex training
More Menu with Less Square Feet: Offer premium cold drinks without needing more backbar space
Waste Reduction: No more overpours or remakes
Real-Time Insights: See exactly what’s selling and adjust offerings instantly
Scalable Growth: Software updates bring new capabilities without needing new machines
A Glimpse at What's Next
Just like soda fountains of the 1950s feel like a relic today, tomorrow’s successful beverage programs will leave behind the old self-serve dispensers for intelligent platforms like Sidework.
We’re not just modernizing beverage service - we’re reshaping the entire experience. We’re not improving on the past - we’re creating a new standard for the future.
This isn’t your grandmother’s soda fountain, it’s Sidework - and it’s changing the way the world drinks.