Move over, fizzy drinks and chocolate bars. Vending machines have gone gourmet. From succulent steaks and artisan cheeses to freshly baked pizzas, we’ve found the most delicious food and drink items stocked in vending machines around the world. Some of them are so delicious looking, we'd happily hop on a plane to give them a try.
Click or scroll our gallery to discover the tastiest vending machine options, counting down to the most incredible (and delicious) of all.
We’ve based our ranking on the enduring popularity of each food and vending machine, and on the opinions of our well-travelled (and well-fed) team. This list is unavoidably subjective.
Throughout Japan you’ll find these distinctive, coin-operated vending machines filled with edible insect snacks, from salty bugs to sweet-coated varieties. They’re often pretty pricey, but fork out and you can feast on the likes of matcha cricket protein bars and chocolate-coated scorpions.
Buying a Coke from a vending machine is hardly unusual, but buying one for a nickel certainly is. At the Biedenharn Museum in Louisiana you can see all kinds of Coca-Cola memorabilia, including vintage vending machines from back in the day. They still dispense the iconic coke-filled glass bottles, costing just five cents apiece and tasting all the better for it.
Another Japanese invention, if you're feeling thirsty, you might want to double check what you’re buying before punching in your number at one of these vending machines. The bottles, which could easily be mistaken for being filled with refreshing tea, are actually stocked with dashi – handy if you’re making miso soup, less so if you fancied a drink.
These nifty little machines are mostly found in subway stations across East Asia, dispensing single bananas to busy commuters on the go. The bananas are apparently stored at the perfect temperature to maintain freshness and Dole even provide special bins nearby for disposing of both the peel and packaging.
Vending machines stocked with fresh eggs can be found across the globe, from European farms to street corners in Japan. Typically, to use these machines, shoppers insert cash and select their chosen box or bag of eggs by opening one of the compartment doors. Happily, you’ll find that the eggs in these machines are usually free range and organic.
First debuting in 2007, kosher food vending machines have continued to pop up across the US, providing an easy solution for those who want to eat kosher while out and about. Kosher Café Hot Nosh 24/6 machines were some of the first to offer this service, featuring hot foods such as knish (a Jewish dough-filled snack), onion rings and fries.
You can buy fresh, unpasteurised milk from farm vending machines all over Europe. Each one varies, but usually you’ll find that it dispenses empty, reusable cartons or bottles, which can be filled with fresh milk from local cows. There’s also often the option to add flavourings, turning the milk into child-approved milkshakes. These machines are a brilliant way to support local producers and usually operate on a 24-hour basis.
Forget chasing the ice cream van or standing in line at the shops to buy a frozen treat, this vending machine was designed with ice cream fans firmly in mind. Ben & Jerry's has been known to serve its frozen goods via vending machines over the years, but you'll also find these handy contraptions across Japan and Singapore.
If you're craving an ice-cold tipple on the go, there's a vending machine for that. The homeland of the vending machine, Japan, boasts beer dispensing machines aplenty. Some also serve sake and chuhai (a fruity alcoholic drink made with either shochu or vodka). In the UK, meanwhile, beer vending machines known as EBars have started to appear at sporting and cultural events, dispensing tap beer into plastic pint glasses to help cut down on queues.
A typical Dutch automatiek is filled with delicious, warming foods including fresh bread, croquettes and pastries. These self-service machines are made up of rows of food lockers, which are filled with prepared items that customers can purchase by cash or card. They’re refilled throughout the day and are a popular and convenient means of snacking across the Netherlands.
This might just be the cutest vending machine out there. Popular cupcake brand Sprinkles boasts a host of 24-hour vending machines dotted across the USA. Each ATM is packed full of delicious sweet treats, from beautifully decorated cupcakes to goodies that even your pooch can enjoy.
Something of a condiment-lovers dream, French mustard company La Moutarderie Edmond Fallot is home to a museum in Beaune and a boutique shop in Dijon, both of which boast unique, mustard-focused vending machines. There are a range varieties and options to choose from, including mini jars of mustard in flavours such as basil, blackcurrant, walnut and gingerbread. Just the thing for picnics or souvenirs.
In need of a carb fix while out and about? In Japan, you’ll find vending machines selling bread in a can. While not quite the same as picking up an artisan loaf from the local bakery, there’s no doubting these tins have novelty factor. Soft and airy, the bread comes in a variety of flavours, including chocolate chip, coffee and fruit.
If you love shopping locally, you'll adore these vending machines which supply fresh goods to the local community. Brought to life by REGIOMAT, they’re located throughout Germany and filled with everything from meat and eggs to vegetables, cheese and preserves. Regularly stocked up, they’re particularly handy for those in rural areas where shops might close early or shut on Sundays and national holidays.
Perfect if you’re low on time or don’t fancy cooking, state-of-the-art hot food vending machines filled with nutritionist-approved Chef-in-Box meals are located across Singapore and are stocked with wholesome, ready-to-eat dishes. You can choose from a range of cuisines, including Korean, Thai, Japanese, Indian and local and there’s also an option to add on a drink and dessert.
Fancy trying out a vending machine restaurant? Wow Bao, an Asian street food chain in the US, has begun rolling out self-service only restaurants. Essentially customers order via a touchscreen display and, just moments later, the food will appear in a locker. The chain serves up everything from fluffy bao buns to rice bowls and dumplings.
Nothing is quite as satisfying as biting into a freshly baked baguette, so these bread-filled vending machines in France might just save the day if the local bakery has already closed. Stocked daily with fresh loaves, the machines have special heating and dehumidifying systems to help keep each and every baguette wonderfully fresh.
Moët & Chandon first brought the Champagne vending machine to market when they launched the premium, fizz-filled contraption inside The Lexington Hotel in Manhattan, New York. Maintaining an air of exclusivity, other choice spots where fizz-lovers can purchase a special gold token to avail a bottle of bubbly from a vending machine include the Moët & Chandon headquarters in Épernay, France and the Selfridges department store in London.
Vending machines doling out French fries can be found all over the world. The concept is pretty simple: consumers pay by cash or card, then select their chosen condiments and seasonings. Frozen potatoes (usually in the form of pre-cut fries) are then cooked at a high temperature, resulting in hot, crisp French fries in a matter of moments.
This unique vending machine at Berdoll Pecan Farm in Cedar Creek, Texas is kept fully stocked with buttery, freshly baked signature pecan pies at all times – it’s usually replenished around midnight, ready for those who fancy a nighttime treat. The machine is also filled with other pecan delights – think milk chocolate–covered nuts – but the pies are unsurprisingly the bestseller. The farm has a second vending machine location in Austin.
Helping you to get your tonkotsu fix whatever time cravings hit, Yo-Kai Express is a brand of popular ramen-focused vending machines located across the USA. It uses advanced cooking technology and precision cooking, meaning fans can slurp up everything from USDA prime beef pho to spicy kimchi miso ramen and shrimp tempura udon at any time of day.
Not every McDonald’s can cater for your 24-hour burger needs. The solution? RoboBurger, the world’s first burger chef in a vending machine format. Following a successful launch on reality television show Shark Tank, the machines – which are said to produce restaurant-quality burgers – have been popping up around the US, offering everything from classic beef patties to spicy black bean burgers and eggy buns. Meanwhile, in the Netherlands, FEBO has become a household name, dishing out burgers from its handy machines at all hours.
Ever been in desperate need of a steak at 6am? Thankfully, there’s a vending machine that can help you out. There are several farms and locations across the world with self-service meat vending machines, including Hindwell Farm in Wales, UK. Here the team has installed an onsite machine allowing customers to purchase fresh produce throughout the day (and night). Expect everything from locally reared Angus beef to grass-fed Welsh lamb.
Automatic pizza vending machines have been around in Europe and the US for some years now, with Margherita, pepperoni and various veggies all being popular toppings. That said, it was only in 2021 that the contraption first appeared – somewhat controversially – in pizza-loving Rome, complete with small glass window so that consumers could watch the dough being kneaded to order. While the pizzas delivered by these devices obviously won't be as tasty as a slice from an authentic pizzeria, they hit the spot when cravings strike.
Does it get any better than 24-hour access to fresh, artisanal cheese? That’s exactly what you can find at Perrystead Dairy, an award-winning Philadelphia-based cheese manufacturer that’s launched a vending machine bursting with delicious cheeses. Alongside that array, the cashless dispensary also serves charcuterie items, crisps, crackers, jams, chutneys, serving essentials and even marble, wood or slate charcuterie boards so that customers can really up their presentation game.