Foodservice

UC Berkeley gets fried chicken vending machine

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February 16, 2026

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A fried chicken vending machine has begun operating in the Martin Luther King Jr. Student Union at the University of California, Berkeley. The machine, dubbed brd BOT, serves made-to-order popcorn chicken for $5.99.

UC Berkeley alumnus Syed Saquib, co-founder and CEO of brd BOT, told the Daily Californian that the concept behind the machine is simple: eliminate soggy fried food. Unlike typical vending machines that serve hot food, brd BOT uses an internal deep fryer to cook each portion of chicken to order. Saquib describes this approach as central to the company's mission, arguing that freshness and crunch are what most fried food options fail to deliver.

For now, brd BOT sells only popcorn chicken, but Saquib says a second machine offering vegetarian options is planned. He also points to his South Asian background as inspiration, noting fried food is a shared cultural experience across cuisines, and that brd BOT aims to replicate it through automation and on-demand cooking.

Foodservice