A famous robot will buy you a drink if you stay off your phone for 30 minutes

DALLAS (KDAF) — Technology has changed everything about the way we socialize, and nights out haven’t escaped the scroll. That’s why SVEDKA Vodka is bringing back the SVEDKA Robot to remind us of an important fact: real connection can still happen at the bar.

This robot is here to buy you a drink, charged up and ready to reboot a world that’s drowning in AI, endless notifications and double taps instead of double dates. And it’s a mission America clearly needs right now. A 2025 SVEDKA survey of 2,000 U.S. adults found:

• 65% say people they know use phones to “fill space” during in-person moments.

• 79% of Gen Z admit to doing it frequently, with more than 4 in 5 fake-texting to avoid talking to someone in public.

• More than 3 in 5 surveyed say they use their phone to avoid eye contact (69%) or speaking to someone they don’t know in public (68%).

• 63% say digital conveniences have cut down on how often people go out socially.

• More than half (54%) say people make less small talk with strangers today compared to five years ago.

It’s with this in mind that SVEDKA is introducing “She’s Got a Tab,” the official comeback campaign for the SVEDKA robot. Beginning Thursday, August 28, SVEDKA’s robot is picking up the tab at bars nationwide. SVEDKA will send $15 via Venmo to randomly selected verified submissions, covering the first drink for over 1,000 consumers this holiday and beyond. To enter for a chance to win, participants must submit a candid photo of themselves and the crew they’d like to take out for a round of SVEDKA cocktails at SvedkaBarTab.com. By participating, they pledge to stay off their phones and be fully present for at least 30 minutes of an IRL experience. The campaign rewards presence over posting, putting your nightlife routine back in ‘human mode.’