A method of producing a melted food or beverage liquid product from a receptacle containing frozen liquid contents, comprising the steps of: receiving a receptacle in a chamber of a dispenser, the receptacle having an interior containing a frozen liquid contents; identifying a characteristic of one or more of the receptacle, the frozen liquid contents, or a desired melted food or beverage liquid product wherein the characteristic is identified using one or more of an optical sensor, a thermal sensor, an electromagnetic sensor, a mass sensor, or a user interface; providing a liquid heater; melting at least a portion of the frozen liquid contents to generate a melted food or beverage liquid product by selectively performing one or more of: heating one or more of the receptacle received in the chamber or the frozen liquid contents within the receptacle received in the chamber without adding liquid to the interior of the receptacle, supplying a liquid to the interior of the receptacle via a flow path that bypasses the liquid heater, wherein the selectively performing the one or more of heating the one or more of the receptacle received in the chamber or the frozen liquid contents within the receptacle received in the chamber or suppling the liquid is based on the identified characteristic; perforating the receptacle; and dispensing the melted food or beverage liquid product from the receptacle. receiving a receptacle in a chamber of a dispenser, the receptacle having an interior containing a frozen liquid contents; identifying a characteristic of one or more of the receptacle, the frozen liquid contents, or a desired melted food or beverage liquid product wherein the characteristic is identified using one or more of an optical sensor, a thermal sensor, an electromagnetic sensor, a mass sensor, or a user interface; providing a liquid heater; melting at least a portion of the frozen liquid contents to generate a melted food or beverage liquid product by selectively performing one or more of: heating one or more of the receptacle received in the chamber or the frozen liquid contents within the receptacle received in the chamber without adding liquid to the interior of the receptacle, supplying a liquid to the interior of the receptacle via a flow path that bypasses the liquid heater, wherein the selectively performing the one or more of heating the one or more of the receptacle received in the chamber or the frozen liquid contents within the receptacle received in the chamber or suppling the liquid is based on the identified characteristic; heating one or more of the receptacle received in the chamber or the frozen liquid contents within the receptacle received in the chamber without adding liquid to the interior of the receptacle, supplying a liquid to the interior of the receptacle via a flow path that bypasses the liquid heater, wherein the selectively performing the one or more of heating the one or more of the receptacle received in the chamber or the frozen liquid contents within the receptacle received in the chamber or suppling the liquid is based on the identified characteristic; perforating the receptacle; and dispensing the melted food or beverage liquid product from the receptacle.