Airport Experience® News - Food & Beverage Issue 2026

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brands have a much higher chance of success than unknown products which travelers are not as keen to take a chance on when rushing through an airport.” Small Footprint, Big Opportunity One of the most compelling arguments for airport vending machines comes down to square footage. A Farmer’s Fridge machine, for example, only requires about 12 square feet of space and a simple electrical outlet. A machine that occupies a wall or tucked corner generates revenue around the clock and requires minimal staffing represents a fundamentally different economic calculation than a traditional concession buildout. For airports weighing how to expand food and beverage options without major capital investment or long-term lease commitments, the format is increasingly attractive. Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), in partnership with Evolvending, recently debuted fully automated White Castle vending machines that deliver burgers and chicken sandwiches in minutes, heated in the same packaging found in grocery stores. A Massport spokesperson pointed to the format’s efficiency as a key part of the appeal. “There are seven of the White Castle machines in Boston Logan and the passenger response to them has been positive,” the spokesperson says. “Having a vending machine that takes up a smaller space than a traditional concession allows us to give passengers more options and nicely compliments our larger concessions.” UpMeals , a Vancouver-based fresh food vending company, deployed five machines throughout Vancouver International Airport (YVR) with all locations post security. Each machine carries up to 30

passengers after traditional food and beverage locations have shuttered for the night. It is a customer base that most airport concessions miss entirely, and “sales peak during off hours,” Lin says. The operational model behind fresh vending has matured alongside the hardware. Saunders describes how his company uses data to keep waste low and quality high across dozens of airport locations. “Farmer’s Fridge is built to minimize food waste through a highly data-driven operating model,” Saunders says. “We use real-time sales data and predictive analytics to optimize inventory at each location, allowing us to stock products more efficiently than a traditional food operator.” Fridges are often stocked twice a day. “Our model relies on a centralized kitchen and in-house delivery team instead of on-site staff,” he continues. “One team can support multiple fridges across a market, which makes the model operationally efficient while still maintaining freshness and food safety standards.” Transparency is part of the freshness pitch too. “There’s a reason each Farmer’s Fridge has a clear screen and transparent jars – you can literally see the freshness of each menu item.”

options including salads, grain bowls, wraps and cold-pressed juices, restocked daily with menus updated weekly based on sales. The airport worked with UpMeals to develop a location-exclusive bowl built around B.C. ingredients, including smoked salmon, avocado and pickled ginger on sushi rice. It is a small but telling detail. The vending format, long associated with generic product, is being used to express a sense of place. The 24/7 availability factor is equally important. Andy Lin is the founder and CEO of Yo Kai Express , a robotic restaurant concept built around the idea that a hot meal should be available anywhere, at any hour. The machines use semiconductor and rapid-heating technology to produce fresh ramen, pho and rice bowls in 45 seconds, and customers watch the process through a transparent interface as their order is prepared. Yo Kai Express currently operates machines at Ontario International Airport (ONT), San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP). The machines are designed to accept airline food vouchers, which Lin has negotiated with multiple carriers. That makes them particularly valuable for stranded

Right: Yo Kai Express currently operates machines at ONT, SFO and MSP, with sales peaking during late nights when inline concessions have closed.

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AX NEWS JULY/AUGUST 2026