Your Vending Machine Isn't a Spreadsheet. Stop Managing It Like One.

Most vending operators still run their machines from a spreadsheet. Dryline VMS founder Austin Kunz explains why that breaks down, and how showing each machine…

Last chance to make your voice heard in the 2026 Kiosk Marketplace Census

September 23, 2026

Kiosk operators, deployers, suppliers, and other industry professionals are invited to share their experiences and help document the trends shaping…

Tres Picosos brings hot Mexican food kiosk to Minneapolis-St. Paul airport

September 23, 2026

Denver-based Tres Picosos has partnered with Evolvending to offer food from its Tres Locos brand at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, according to a…

Illinois city considers restrictions on vape vending machines

September 23, 2026

Bloomington, Illinois, officials are considering whether to prohibit vape vending machines or allow them with additional safeguards, according to a WGLT News…

Zhilai adds multi-pickup hot food machine to smart retail lineup

September 23, 2026

Shenzhen, China-based Zhilai has expanded its automated retail portfolio with a vending machine designed to refrigerate, heat and dispense prepared meals…

Eat This Fast & Fresh Introduces refrigerated meal vending

September 23, 2026

Texas company Eat This Fast & Fresh has launched a refrigerated vending program that brings prepared meals to offices, gyms and other workplaces in The…

Sacoa equips Playland location in Colombia with payment tech

September 22, 2026

Playland has opened a new family entertainment center at Centro Comercial Portal del Prado in Barranquilla, Colombia, using cashless technology from Sacoa…

Elementary school introduces book vending machine

September 22, 2026

Community Elementary School in North Attleborough, Massachusetts, has installed an Inchy's Book Vending Machine to encourage students to read and improve…

WM Robotics expands food vending beyond hot pies

September 22, 2026

WM Robotics is expanding beyond its PieBot hot-food vending machines by adapting its self-service technology to sell chilled and frozen products. The New…

Balancing Family & Fast Vending Growth: Mike Weiden’s Journey with SandStar VRK

Every vending operator has their own “why”. Some chase passive income. Others love retail operations. For Mike Weiden, it was flexible time for his…

Presented by SandStar

SandStar X Joey Carter: Part‑Time Vending Business Story

Joey runs 4 SandStar AI coolers, with a sharp site-selection strategy: he only picks locations projected to hit at least $1,000 monthly revenue, averaging…

Presented by SandStar

Maine store offers free Coca-Cola for a hug

September 21, 2026

The Levant Corner Store in Levant, Maine, featured a Coca-Cola vending machine that dispensed a free drink when customers hugged it, according to a KYMA News…

WashU student launches textured hair-care vending machine

September 21, 2026

Zariah Taylor, a senior at Washington University in St. Louis, has launched TheHairVault, a vending machine offering more than 50 products for textured hair…

Cugino Forno debuts pizza vending machine in North Carolina

September 21, 2026

Cugino Forno has introduced a pizza vending machine at Incendiary Brewing in Lewisville, North Carolina, according to a WXII report, giving customers access to…

Cline bill targets foreign-linked payment systems used by Pentagon retailers

September 21, 2026

U.S. Rep. Ben Cline, R-Va., has introduced legislation that would prohibit the Defense Department from contracting with retailers that use certain…

Bucked Up tests automated retail store at Utah student housing complex

by Richard Slawsky — Editor, Connect Media

Bucked Up has launched an automated retail store inside the gym at Alpine Village, a student housing community in Provo, Utah, to test whether its sports…

SOS Care vending program gives students job training in Myrtle Beach

September 18, 2026

SOS Care has launched SnackAbility, a workforce development program that uses vending machines to help people with autism and intellectual disabilities gain…

Intelligent vending machine market projected to reach $96B by 2033

September 18, 2026

The global intelligent vending machine market is projected to grow from $32.6 billion in 2026 to $96 billion by 2033, according to a Persistence Market…

Leaner automated retail, part 2: Give the hardware a second life

by Ben Wheeler — Dir. of Business Dev. - Automated Retail, T-ROC

For operators managing large fleets, one of the most practical sustainability strategies may be extending the useful life of equipment already on the balance…

Tomra introduces compact reverse vending machine for small retailers

September 18, 2026

Tomra has introduced the B3, a compact reverse vending machine designed for convenience stores and independent retailers preparing for the United Kingdom's…