W hen the clock strikes 3 a.m. Sophisticated new machines such as this one are reinvigorating the vending industry in America, and bridging part of the labor gap at the same time. But we've become a 24-7 culture. People work longer hours with shorter lunch breaks. In Finland, customers use cell phones to purchase soft drinks from a machine.
Japanese shoppers purchase bags of rice or small kegs of beer from outdoor kiosks.
The Belgians have an automated convenience store offering a selection of about 200 items from a single machine. American vending companies are launching their own versions of these marvels. Take, for example, the hot-entr e machine being used at Corning Inc. and in California. It contains a built-in freezer to store the entr es, plus a convection oven that heats selected items to 165F in about 80 seconds. One unit offers five entr e choices, holding as many as 150 meals at 0F for up to four months.