The Chicago SunVariety is new flavor in vending machines
By: Janet Rausa Fuller, Staff Reporter
Published: October 15, 2004

Vending machines have gone from the hungry office worker's last resort to a hot food destination....

"People want to eat on the go....and they want to have good food quickly" said Richard Wyckoff, president of Aramark Refreshment Services.

Improved cooking technology sets apart the newest machines from standard snack dispensers, said Dan Matthews, NAMA's chief operating officer, who cited a hot dog machine from Maryland-based LHD Vending that he said may revolutionize the industry. Unlike other machines that store and cook a frozen hot dog and bun together, the LHD machine "grills" a refrigerated frank with microwave and infrared heat and steams the bun separately, said its creator Leon Leykin.

"The flavor is real nice," said a McCormick Place electrician, chomping on a bratwurst. "The bun is perfect"...