You’re enjoying an intimate Christmas meal with the one you love when all of a sudden there’s a low humming noise in the air — it’s a small drone carrying a sprig of mistletoe, providing the perfect end to your romantic evening or a real dampener on the atmosphere depending on your view. If you’re eating at TGI Friday’s in the U.K. this holiday season, it’s something that could actually happen.
Introducing the UK’s first mistletoe drone… http://t.co/cDiQdGTcoi Taking #Togethermas to new heights – literally.
— TGI Friday’s UK (@TGIFridaysUK) November 19, 2014
According to TGI’s, the flying quadrocopters are being pressed into action in response to a survey that suggested almost half of the adults in Brits had never kissed under the mistletoe. “We’re known for legendary celebrations at Friday’s, so we wanted to see how we could make Christmas get-togethers in our restaurants even more entertaining, and offer guests the encouragement they need to make their move,” spokeswoman Rachel Waller told the Manchester Evening News.
The TGI Friday’s restaurant at the Royal Exchange in Manchester will be the first to get the new high-tech equipment, which will then roll out across the rest of the country. The drones will be piloted by staff members, so you and your partner won’t automatically be picked out of the crowd by some kind of romance-seeking artificial intelligence.
At the moment there’s no word on whether TGI Friday’s in the U.S. is going to follow suit, but the U.K. arm of the business seems enthusiastic about the idea. “Everyone loves a good Christmas party, but we all know things can be a bit awkward until someone breaks the ice,” adds Waller. “Our mistletoe drones are the perfect way to do this. Not only are they great fun for the entire restaurant, but they help people get a little closer at this time of the year. Who knows — maybe we’ll have had our first mistletoe drone wedding by this time next year.”
