We’ve always said, if you can dream it we can build it. The great thing about vending machines is they give people instant access to what they want, when they want it. So, if you have a ramen craving while waiting for the bus or need bike parts on the way to work, vending comes to the rescue.
That said, we wondered what people around the world were vending.
Here are just a few of the more unusual things that made our list.
China: Live crabs
Next time you’re wandering the streets of Beijing, you might encounter a vending machine filled with live crabs. Yes, you heard that right! But before you get visions of tiny crustaceans crawling everywhere, they’re individually wrapped so you can grab one on the go. Gives new meaning to fresh catch of the day.
Europe: Pizza
Get your pie made from scratch in less than three minutes. Flat. This ingenious vending machine has an infra-red oven inside for instant pizzafication. And sources claim it is excellent pizza. But sadly, while pizza vending was set to make its American debut, it never got off the ground here for some reason.
Japan: Noodles
Whether your poison is ramen, udon or soba, you can swipe your way to a piping hot bowl of noodles. Meat and veggies optional.
France: Baguettes
Leave it to the French to find a way to distribute their baked goods where people want them—any street corner really. A storeowner thought up the idea to give people 24/7 access to his delicious baguettes by vending them, instead of having people knock at his door at all hours of the day and night. That’s fresh.
USA: Wine
Why other cities haven’t caught up on this trend is anyone’s guess. Pennsylvania was the pioneer to provide 24/7 access to wine and spirits. It’s a wonder it hasn’t caught on in other cities.
London: Champagne
The high-end department store chain known as Selfridge carries designer goods and a Möet & Chandon vending machine that dispenses 200-milliliter bottles for $29 a pop. America is following suit with a champagne vending machine at Sky Bar in Las Vegas. Fancy.
Germany: Lego
If you’re at Munich Central Station trying to keep the kiddos entertained, look no further than the Lego vending machine. It’s your one stop for instant fun and entertainment.
That’s it for our roundup of the most outlandish things people vend. Unless you count IVM Smart Stations™. Vending office supplies is a novel way for offices to save time, boost productivity and deliver the right products when and where people need them most. Of course, it’s not piping hot pizza or baguettes, but it does save a lot of dough.
What have you seen out in the world that would qualify for this outlandish vending list?