Japan’s Wagyu Beef Vending Machines Have America Jealous

Is there anything more exciting than a well-placed vending machine? It’s basically a miniature convenience store the size of a phone booth that offers a boatload of various treats so you can grab a snack and get on your way without having to deal with an unfriendly cashier or the hustle and bustle of other store customers rushing past you. Yeah, they’re pretty great. And they’re everywhere. People love snacks, plain and simple. So slapping a vending machine in every corner of a mall or outside a store is a surefire way to attract hungry folks. 

Videos by Sporked

Now, when you think of vending machine snacks, you’re likely picturing bags of Doritos chips, a variety of candy bars that definitely aren’t stale from sitting for God knows how long behind those curly electronic rings, and a row of gum along the bottom (FYI, these are probably stale). But, if you take a trip to Japan and seek out a vending machine, you’ll notice they do things a little differently over there. Actually, a lot differently. They don’t just have vending machines full of cheap, stale snacks like here in the states. They have vending machines cranking out some of the most coveted cuts of meat (yes, you read that correctly) around. 

The Japanese Vending Machines That Serve Wagyu Beef

Every tried-and-true carnivore on the planet needs to get themselves over to Japan to explore the options on the Wagyu beef vending machines. This literally sounds like a joke, but plenty of people online have filmed themselves ordering authentic pieces of A5 Wagyu out of these vending machines to prove it’s the real deal. These work exactly like the vending machines here: simply place your money (don’t try to use American dollars, obviously) in the tiny slot, pick out which cut you want from the display screen, and seconds later you have yourself a sealed package of the world’s most luxurious meat! Luxury has never been so convenient. Thank you, Japan.

The only warning we can give based on the videos online is that the meat isn’t cooked in the machine and served ready-to-eat, so expect to put a little legwork in to enjoy the purchase. Also, not every single one of these machines is identical, so don’t expect the exact same Wagyu options at each one you stop at. 

Step Your Vending Machine Hustle Up, America

We can all agree that these Japanese vending machines beat America’s by a mile. While I’m over here feeling excited about a 6-month-old Reese’s cup in the vending machine outside of Home Depot’s lumber yard, the people of Japan are treated to a delicate melt-in-your-mouth dinner. But, until America jumps on board with this savory idea, I’ll happily enjoy my Reese’s cup no matter how old it is.