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…

Toronto artist turns vending machine into $2 surprise art experience

September 17, 2026

Toronto artist Alex Bray has transformed a vending machine into an affordable way to buy original art, offering miniature prints for $2 each. Bray debuted her…

Eagles offer exclusive artwork through stadium vending machines

September 15, 2026

Philadelphia Eagles fans attending a game at Lincoln Financial Field will be able to purchase exclusive team artwork from vending machines as part of a…

Canned hot pot meals coming to Japanese vending machines

September 15, 2026

DyDo Drinco and Japanese food company Mizkan are partnering to introduce two hot pot-inspired canned soups that will be sold through vending machines and…

Pop Mart vending machine replaces cupcake ATM at USC

September 9, 2026

Pop Mart has opened what the company describes as its first college-campus vending location outside the University of Southern California Bookstore, according…

Broncos add beer vending machines, new food options at Empower Field

September 9, 2026

The Denver Broncos are adding beer vending machines and expanding food choices at Empower Field at Mile High for the 2026 NFL season, according to a Denver…

Pocahontas State Park launches self-service kayak rental kiosks

September 9, 2026

Pocahontas State Park in Chesterfield, Virginia, has introduced self-service kayak rental kiosks that allow visitors to rent equipment without making a…

Beyond the kiosk: Why AI in retail still needs a human purpose

We’re moving from technology that waits for the customer to figure out what to ask toward systems that can participate in the conversation, but the opportunity…

Maryland parks launch sports equipment rental kiosks

September 2, 2026

St. Mary's County Recreation & Parks has completed the rollout of self-service sports equipment rental kiosks at three Maryland parks through a partnership…

Historic 'Star Wars' vending machine disappears, homemade version takes its place

September 1, 2026

A vintage "Star Wars"-themed vending machine that became an unusual neighborhood landmark in Pittsburgh has disappeared, leaving behind what appears to be a…

Mini art vending machines showcase Des Moines artists

August 28, 2026

A new public art program has placed miniature art vending machines at five locations in downtown Des Moines, Iowa, according to a press release. Operation…

Purdue partners with LumiNicole on automated beauty, wellness store

August 28, 2026

Purdue University has partnered with beauty products firm LumiNicole to expand access to beauty, wellness and personal care products while creating…

99 Spoons claims top spot in U.S. frozen dessert vending

August 27, 2026

99 Spoons, a manufacturer and distributor of automated frozen dessert kiosks, says it has sold more than 350 machines and supports more than 200 independent…

Speedy Pie pizza vending machine opens in Iowa town

August 27, 2026

A new Speedy Pie automated pizza vending machine has opened in Bettendorf, Iowa, giving Quad Cities customers access to hot pizza around the clock, according…

Hidden London vending machine dispenses surprise books

August 25, 2026

A vending machine hidden in the basement of Third Man London, a record store in central London, gives customers a randomly selected book rather than letting…

Murphy USA to test White Castle kiosks at convenience stores

August 24, 2026

Murphy USA plans to introduce automated White Castle food kiosks at select larger-format convenience stores, according to a CSP Daily News report, giving…

Cashierless robot store highlights automation at Beijing conference

August 20, 2026

A cashierless convenience store demonstrated at the 2026 World Robot Conference in Beijing showed how multiple robots could complete an entire retail…

NY village unveils self-service canoe rental kiosk

August 20, 2026

The village of Potsdam, New York, has installed a self-service kayak and canoe rental kiosk at Ives Park, with operations expected to begin after officials…