19+ Surprising Products Found in Vending Machines Around the World

Location: Dubai International Airport, United Arab Emirates
What You Can Get: Gold bars and coins

If you’ve got a few hundred dollars just lying around, this vending machine may be just what you’re looking for. Developed by German company Ex Oriente Lux, these machines are designed for patrons to purchase gold bars and coins as gifts or collectibles. The machines themselves are covered in gold leaf and weigh around 1,000lbs when completely full.

Gold To Go @ergunbeylerharic / Pinterest.com

The price of the bars and coins changes every hour, in coalition with Ex Oriente Lux’s website. Each purchase comes in a gift-wrapped box and the high-tech security software and ID scanner prevent money laundering as well as burglary. The first machine of this kind was installed in the five-star Emirates Palace Hotel, where it’s said to be very popular with patrons.

Location: Fukuoka Airport, Japan
What You Can Get: Crepes in a variety of flavors

Japan is already quite well-known for the obscure range of vending machines you can find across the country that sell things from bouquets to shots of sake. By far, the most popular for tourists and locals and the food vending machines that provide a wide variety of hot and cold food and drinks for people on the go.

Crepes @trendhunter / Pinterest.com

If you find yourself in Fukuoka Airport and in need of a snack, they have the perfect thing: crepes. For $2.30 (250 yen) you get a range of flavors including chocolate, tiramisu, and blueberry. For $4.63 (500 yen), you can get a crepe made from caramel milk that comes in plain, chocolate, lemon, and melon.

Location: Sheremetyevo International Airport, Moscow
What You Can Get: Burgers

Burgers have been a staple fast food for decades and it seems they’re becoming more accessible all the time. Now, you can grab one from this vending machine at an airport in Moscow for a little over $1. This vending machine comes with several options to choose from and presents the food warm and ready to eat.

Burgers @buzzfeed / Pinterest.com

Not convinced? Surprisingly, hot food vending machines aren’t anything new and they’re slowly growing in popularity in the US. They were first established in Japan, and the technology has evolved to the point where some machines can produce full meals. It’s a great alternative to expensive airport restaurants and cafes, especially if your gate’s McDonald’s is about to close.

Location: Japan
What You Can Get: A cup of ramen noodles

Another vending machine that is rather common in Japan is this one that offers ramen noodles at any hour. It’s basically like buying noodles at a store and preparing them at home, however, this vending machine enables you to cook them while out and about.

Noodles ©inazakira/Wikimedia Commons

All you need to do is pick which cup of noodles you want, open it up, and place it in the machine which will then fill your cup up with hot water. Of course, this vending machine certainly isn’t as weird as some of the others you can come across while in Japan.

Location: Tokyo, Japan 
What You Can Get: Live rhinoceros beetle 

Rhinoceros beetles are quite common in Japan, and it’s not unusual to keep one or more as a pet or pets. In the late 1990s, Mirai Seiko started beetle season by selling the black, clawed bugs out of vegetable vending machines. According to the company, each machine held 100 stag beetles, which were quite popular. They were sold out within a few hours.

Rhinoceros Beetles @billperrotto/Pinterest

Though that was in the nineties, there are still some aged vending machines that sell these kuwagata-mushi. Rhinoceros beetles can cost anywhere from $5-$100, depending on the size and origin. They are a super-popular pet, even though they are shy and get stressed out easily. 

Location: France
What You Can Get: Fresh baguettes

France is known for its delicious baguettes which are crispy on the outside yet perfectly soft on the inside which is why it’s not surprising that the French staple can also be purchased through a vending machine. The bread is fresh as it is in-store and the machines are open 24/7.

Baguettes @thetimessunday/Pinterest

While getting baguettes at a local bakery is still what most French people prefer (if they’re not making their banquettes from scratch that is), these vending machines are certainly convenient when announced guests arrive and you need to get fresh bread quickly.

Location: China 
What You Can Get: Live crabs for $3.27 each 

China is the land of strange vending machines, and this “live crab” one is no exception. Live, hairy crabs can be found in a vending machine in a major subway station in China’s Jiangsu province. The machine sells crabs for $3.27 each, along with crab vinegar and a couple bags of ginger tea, both of which are must-have necessities for cracking open these sea creatures.

Live Crabs @laurabiering/Pinterest

There are a few of these vending machines. At the one in Nanjing, the machine sold 200 crabs a day. These live crab vending machines have innovative measures, such as chilled climate control to keep the crustaceans in a dormant state until they’re vended.

Location: Los Angeles, California
What You Can Get: Caviar, truffles, mother-of-pearl spoons, escargot 

Beverly Hills is synonymous with wealth, and caviar is considered the food of the rich, so it only makes sense that the two would be combined. At L.A. malls (Westfield Century City, Burbank Town Center, and Westfield Topanga), caviar vending machines have been popping up for those with spare cash who want a fishy, expensive snack while they shop.

Caviar @buzzfeed/Pinterest

The machines dispense roe, truffles, mother-of-pearl spoons, and escargot, and prices range from $5 to $500. For $500, you can get one ounce of rare Imperial River Beluga Caviar. In each vending machine, there is $50,000 worth of pricey seafood.

Location: Shibuya, Japan
What You Can Get: Pamphlets and stickers 

Smart Cars are tiny city cars that have become popular in urban areas all over the world. In Japan, these cars became so popular in the late 2000s that they had their own vending machine. The Smart Car vending machine had several cars behind glass, but don’t get too excited, as pressing the button didn’t give you a mini car to drive out of the mall.

Smart Car @priceman141/

Instead, pressing the button dispensed a tube with pamphlets about dealers, new models, and a sheet of colorful Smart Car stickers. All in all, this vending machine was a super-clever way to advertise a useful invention.  

Location: Japan
What You Can Get: Bread in a can

Canned bread is very popular in Japan and as it stays fresh within the can until it’s opened—it’s also very convenient. Vending machines that sell canned bread can be found all throughout the country and the best part about them is that they offer quite a lot of different options.

Canned Bread @japanesestuffchannel/Youtube

While you might think of whole wheat or sourdough, Japan’s canned bread is slightly different. Some of the available options of bread include “strawberry, chocolate, green tea, butter, raisin, milk” and many more. Getting fresh milk bread in the middle of the night is certainly a possibility in Japan.

Location: Philadelphia
What You Can Get: Different kinds of hair extensions

For those who need new hair extensions in a pinch, a hair vending machine certainly seems like a great idea. While there are different hair extension vending machines across the United States, a lot of them actually launched during the pandemic.

Hair Extensions @Digital Media Vending International LLC/Youtube

One of them is the Bundles of Luv vending machine, whose owner admitted that she wasn’t sure she would survive the pandemic as a hair salon owner. The vending machine is located at a mall which makes it “very convenient for women to get it” once they’re already at the mall, and they don’t need any salon appointments.

Location: France
What You Can Get: Fresh raw milk

If there are vending machines for sodas and alcoholic beverages, why wouldn’t there also be a vending machine for fresh milk? That is exactly what a company in France thought when they opened up their raw milk vending machine business.

Raw Milk @inhabitat/Pinterest

In an effort to make raw milk available 24/7 and lower plastic waste, the vending machine sells you milk that comes (almost) straight from the cow. All you need is a glass bottle (or you can buy one at the machine and reuse it later) which the vending machine will fill up with fresh milk.

Location: Japan
What You Can Get: A tie of almost any color or pattern

Japan seems to truly have a vending machine for almost anything. Because the country’s busiest cities are always full of businessmen—a vending machine that sells ties actually makes a lot of sense. After all, who would want to go to that important meeting without the proper outfit?

Ties @gweston3/Pinterest

This means that if you’re ever in Japan and you absolutely need to get a tie last minute, chances are you can find a vending machine that sells a variety of different patterns and colors. The best part is that they are very affordable—usually less than $10.

Location: West Hollywood, California
What You Can Get: Fresh burritos

Vending machines that offer fresh food seem to be a big hit, and one like that is the world’s first burrito vending machine which is located along Santa Monica Boulevard in Los Angeles. The so-called Burritobox offers fresh burritos at any time of the day.

Burritos @metrouk/Pinterest

They claim to be “100 percent natural, with no hormones or antibiotics”, they use “cage-free eggs,” and they are ready for you in just 60 seconds. A downside of these burritos however is that they aren’t customizable, so if you prefer to get your burrito with or without something specific you might still want to opt for Chipotle.