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Now you can grab pizza from an airport vending machine

Oct. 30, 2021
4 min read
Now you can grab pizza from an airport vending machine
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The automated retail trend – i.e., vending machines -- started picking up at airports before the pandemic, with machines dispensing everything from salads and cupcakes to cosmetics and cappuccinos.

More automated options are popping up now that airport food courts and restaurants, like their city counterparts, have been unable to reopen or are operating with reduced staff and operating hours due to the pandemic.

The newest on the scene is Basil Street’s automated pizza kitchen (APK), which will begin dispensing 10-inch, Italian-style, thin-crust pizza at San Antonio International Airport (SAT) on Nov. 3. The machines are also scheduled to debut at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG), Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD), Pensacola International Airport (PNS) and in Houston by the end of the year.

Basil Street’s kiosks will feature three offerings: four-cheese, pepperoni and a “Pizza of the Month,” and will sell between $12.95 - $14.95. The pizzas are made with fresh ingredients and then flash-frozen and cooked-to-order in about three minutes using Basil Street’s patented three-element, non-microwave speed oven.

The automated pizza kitchens are a “perfect solution for weary, frustrated travelers who do not want to wait in long food court lines,” says Basil Street CEO Deglin Kenealy.

The kiosks are also appealing, he says, because, “U.S. consumers are becoming more demanding about having convenient, high-quality food available to them at all hours of the day.” Due to COVID, he notes, more consumers are paying attention to how their food arrives. “Fully cooked, automated food solutions provide the best of both worlds, with delicious meals that are untouched by anyone from the time a customer places their order until it arrives in their hands.”

Basil Street’s automated pizza kiosks are rolling out through a partnership with Prepango, which operates Sprinkles Cupcake and other vending machines at airports and envisions putting 200 of Basil Streets’ pizza-making machines in airports over the next 12 to 18 months.

Prepango CEO Marcos Modiano says there has been a greater use of automated vending at airports due to limited operating hours of concessions, especially in food and beverage. Recently, the company started rolling out illy’s premium automated coffee units at airports. “Coffee lines are especially long these days, so our units have definitely been alleviating some of that congestion and providing coffee service where there is none available,” says Modiano.

John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH) in Ohio was the first to get the illy machine, which Prepango says is illy’s first vending unit of its kind in the U.S.

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More automated retail at airports

As they return to airports for personal, business and holiday travel, passengers will encounter more vending options for food and drinks and for gifts as well.

SouveNEAR sells locally made, artistic souvenirs from multiple vending machines at airports in Oakland (OAK), Sacramento (SMF), Kansas City (MCI), Las Vegas (LAS) New Jersey (EWR) and Ohio/Kentucky (CVG).

In March, Hudson, a mainstay in many airports in North America introduced what it called a “first-of-a-kind, multi-brand automated retail concept,” that is, essentially, clusters of branded vending machines.

“Travelers will find the ADA-compliant machines clustered together in groups of two or more in freestanding locations throughout the concourse or in some instances, built directly into the Hudson storefront for ultimate convenience,” the company said in a press release. “Next to the machines, easy-to-use interactive touchscreens sealed with an anti-microbial shield will showcase merchandise images and extensive product information.”

Hudson says these retail vending pods, are “…reminiscent of a miniature shopping mall within the confines of the airport retail space,” and offer globally recognized brands as well as emerging and local brands. Myrtle Beach International Airport (MYR) was the first to get Hudson’s automated retail and the concept should be in Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) and Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC) by now.

Featured image by Getty Images
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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TPG Editor‘s Rating
Card Rating is based on the opinion of TPG‘s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.
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5XEarn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year.
5XEarn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
  • Intro Offer
    Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on the Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.

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  • Annual Fee

    $695
  • Recommended Credit
    Credit ranges are a variation of FICO© Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

    670-850
    Excellent/Good

Why We Chose It

Sometimes it's worth a large investment to reap the benefits of a great credit card. That's exactly the case with the Amex Platinum card. In exchange for the annual fee, you'll unlock access to the Amex Membership Rewards program that let you access airline and hotel transfer partners, along with new lifestyle and travel credits. This card is also incredibly rewarding for travel purchases, helping you rack up a ton of Membership Rewards points for your next award trip.

Pros

  • The current welcome offer on this card is quite lucrative. TPG values it at $1,600.
  • This card comes with a long list of benefits, including access to Centurion Lounges, complimentary elite status with Hilton and Marriott, at least $500 in assorted annual statement credits and so much more. (Enrollment required for select benefits.)
  • The Amex Platinum comes with access to a premium concierge service that can help you with everything from booking hard-to-get reservations to finding destination guides to help you plan out your next getaway.

Cons

  • The high annual fee is only worth it if you’re taking full advantage of the card’s benefits. Seldom travelers may not get enough value to warrant the cost.
  • Outside of the current welcome bonus, you’re only earning higher rewards on specific airfare and hotel purchases, so it’s not a great card for other spending categories.
  • The annual airline fee statement credit can be complicated to take advantage of compared to the broader travel credits offered by competing premium cards.
  • Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on the Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
  • Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
  • $200 Hotel Credit: Get $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card®.
  • $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 in statement credits each month when you pay for eligible purchases with the Platinum Card® at your choice of one or more of the following providers: Peacock, Audible, SiriusXM, The New York Times, and other participating providers. Enrollment required.
  • $155 Walmart+ Credit: Cover the cost of a $12.95 monthly Walmart+ membership with a statement credit after you pay for Walmart+ each month with your Platinum Card. Cost includes $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax.
  • American Express has expanded The Centurion® Network to include 40+ Centurion Lounge and Studio locations worldwide. Now there are even more places your Platinum Card® can get you complimentary entry and exclusive perks.
  • $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Card.
  • $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only.
  • $300 Equinox Credit: Get up to $300 back each year on an Equinox+ subscription, or any Equinox club memberships when you pay with your Platinum Card. Enrollment required. Learn more.
  • $189 CLEAR® Credit: Breeze through security with CLEAR® Plus at 45+ airports nationwide and get up to $189 back per year on your membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Card.
  • $695 annual fee.
  • Terms Apply.
  • See Rates & Fees