Imagine having a hankering for pizza and being able to fetch a hot one from a machine at the roadside?
That’s precisely what one woman did whilst holidaying in France, upon spotting a pizza vending machine. Hannah, who shares content on TikTok under the handle @thrivingwithhannah, revealed that she’d “pulled over at the side of the road” to sample the pizza.
She divulged that they’d already had their evening meal, but she was keen to try it regardless, so her followers could “see what it does”.
Hannah selected La Reine, a traditional pizza topped with ham, mushrooms, and black olives. She requested it to be served hot, rather than cold.
Hannah likely wasn’t anticipating much – and numerous commenters were curious about how the vending machine operates.
She forked out €12 (£10.36) for the pizza, and there was a “little countdown going,” and then roughly four minutes later, the pizza emerged from the hatch.
Hannah quipped: “They’ve actually set up a little table here so people can enjoy their pizza at the side of the road in a civilised manner”.
The gleaming circular foil packaging enveloped the pizza – and she announced she was about to unwrap it.
Upon doing so, Hannah remarked: “That looks very nice.” Then, it was time for the crucial taste test.
Hannah only had two sporks, which made eating it slightly challenging. Thankfully though, she managed to take some from the centre of the pizza and taste it.
The verdict? “That’s really good,” she admitted.
Hannah acknowledged that whilst it wasn’t “boiling hot,” it was “very warm” and merited a trial “if you’re travelling in France this summer”.
The foodie’s experience caught the attention of many who were blown away by the seriously tasty technology.
One person jokingly commented: “This is probably going to make people question my ability to home educate my children… but are there people inside?”
Another replied: “Hahaha crying. I assume they’re dispensed by a machine and then heated. I used to think there were little ant-sized people in the radio when I was a kid making all the music”.
So, how do pizza vending machines actually operate?
You place your order using a touchscreen to choose your pizza variety, size, and occasionally additional toppings. Payment is processed via card, mobile payment, or occasionally cash.
The apparatus stores pre-made pizza bases (dough), sauces, cheese, and toppings in chilled compartments.
Once an order is submitted, robotic arms or automated dispensers construct the pizza by applying sauce, cheese, and selected toppings onto the dough.
The constructed pizza is transferred into a built-in oven (typically convection or infrared), where it is baked at high temperatures for several minutes (generally 3–5 minutes).
Sensors oversee the baking process to guarantee the pizza is cooked uniformly. Following cooking, the pizza is positioned into a box or tray by the apparatus.
The boxed pizza is delivered to a collection slot where the customer can retrieve it. Numerous machines feature self-cleaning cycles and are routinely restocked and serviced by operators