White Castle Vending Machines Exist, But Are They Any Good?

Remember automats? Probably not because you’re probably not in your 90s (and if you are, hello, welcome, you’re a cool nonagenarian!). Anyway, automats were essentially fast food vending machines. You would browse the wall of options, put your coins in, and grab a personal pot pie or hamburger or mac and cheese from the compartment. Well, now White Castle is bringing it back—kinda.

White Castle has started rolling out burger vending machines, so you can get their sliders anytime. The automated kiosk makes fast food even faster, ready in just a minute or so. It’s made in partnership with Just Baked, a food kiosk company, and Evolvending, which provides automated dining. Here’s everything you need to know.

Where can I find the White Castle vending machine?

Boston was the first lucky city to get one in December at the Boston Logan International Airport, located at Terminal A. Plans to expand it to other locations have yet to be announced.

What does the White Castle vending machine include on the menu?

You can get an Original Slider, Classic Cheese Sliders, a Cheddar Bacon Cheese Slider, and the Chicken & Cheese Slider.

How does the White Castle vending machine work?

Food influencer Snackolator tested it out at the National Restaurant Show a year ago. Unlike a regular vending machine, it appears to work similarly to a self-ordering kiosk at a fast-food restaurant, where you tap the screen to choose what you want. The nutritional information and allergens are shown, so you know exactly what you’re getting and whether you can eat it. Once you’ve placed your order, your meal heats up immediately and is ready in less than 2 minutes, coming out in a box.

“I liked the microwaved White Castle [sliders] a ton. And these are even better because there is a custom tray that steams them inside, so everything comes out super fresh. It’s cooked very evenly. The buns are as pillowy as can be,” explained Snackolator. He added that, as a White Castle fan, he “absolutely loved this idea.”

Are the sliders from the White Castle vending machine actually good?

Probably not. Influencer Exploring With Josh tried it at the Boston Logan International Airport and did not have as great an experience as Snackolator. While he was impressed by the sliders being “smoking hot,” he remarked that the burgers looked “nasty” and tasted like “prison food.”

“I don’t recommend it,” he added. “You barely even taste the onions that are supposed to be in here.” If you’ve ever had a White Castle slider, you know that the onions make the burger. Fingers crossed the White Castle team does some retooling!