From Holy Water to Frozen Meals: The Evolution of Vending Machines
27th September 2026
Saturday Evening Post, a relic of a better time.
Today, vending machines are an ordinary sight in offices, hospitals, subway stations, and other high-traffic locations, offering everything from snacks and drinks to fresh meals with the tap of a card. But the idea of purchasing a product without interacting with a seller is far from modern.
The first known automated dispensing device was designed in Roman Egypt — an imperial province that served as an economic powerhouse for the Roman Empire from 30 BCE to 642 CE — by a Greek engineer and mathematician named Hero of Alexandria. The automated device served as a tool to ration goods and prevent theft without requiring regulation by a temple attendant.
Sometimes the old ways are best.