Visual Arts vending victory

By Bethaney Lee

Byte Foods is giving a whole new meaning to what it means to be a vending machine.  Located in the Visual Arts building on Ocean campus, the self-described “smart fridge” carries an assortment of foods that can be accessed after sliding your debit or credit card.

The fridge is four shelves stocked with an assortment of foods like Tikka Masala microwavable dinners, kombucha and caeser salads. After picking a purchase the door locks and the customer is asked if they would like an emailed receipt.

While the process is simple for the student purchasing, the internal system is complex. Byte Foods uses a radio-frequency identification tag, that is similar to a sticker, on all items within the glass refrigerator. Once a customer has removed an item the transaction is recorded and emailed with the total price.

With the ability to learn trends in purchasing patterns, the new food option at City College is also a new vending concept.