|
|
Article: Let them eat pellets. (French fries and chips to be sold from 'Prize Frize' vending machines)
- Article from:
- The Economist (US)
- Article date:
- May 4, 1991
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1991 Economist Newspaper Ltd. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
AMERICANS spend $20 billion a year on food and drink served by mechanical dispensers. Now they are about to be offered the most ubiquitous of junk-food staples, French french-chips to Britons-via a vending machine.
Most people buy their fries at fast-food outlets, which sell $10 billion-worth a year. Soon "Prize Frize" machines will appear at shops, schools and even carwashes all over the Los Angeles area. Each machine, which is about the same size as a soft-drinks dispenser, holds enough ingredients for some 400 portions. A customer will get 33 fries for $1-roughly an ounce more spud than the average serving at McDonald's. During the 72-second wait, an eternity ...