“Need a bite? Parched? Forgot your change?” Every person who spends time in the city has had to answer these questions while running through the icy stone pathways between the castle and Waverley Station. Vending machines, those quiet mechanical vendors, have become invisible sentinels all around the city. There they are, full of candy, chips, and mystery sandwiches that are better than expected, outside a bus stop, within hospitals, and even beneath glass towers. Read more now Royal Vending.
Edinburgh's first vending machines started with just sweet snacks and pop. But over time, the city's vending machine stock expanded. You can buy everything from fruit to coconut water—and even sushi. Your grandma's eyebrows would slip into her fringe. And don't even get me started on the coffee vending machines. Bless whoever thought we needed espresso at 2 a.m.
One anecdote stands out: I'm wandering through Old Town, the sky is a thick, cloudy slate, and my fingers are stiff from the breeze. I see a vending machine stuck between two tourist shops. It has Irn-Bru, but behind it is a row of surprisingly tasty plant-based snacks. A group of school kids is debating the least terrible snack. The machine stutters, accepts payment, and ejects a bag, which is met with cheers like those at a football game.
Let’s discuss the advancements. Sure, coins are fine, but contactless transformed snack runs. You may now have coffee and chocolate with only a tap. No more digging through your bag for a spare pound. And what about librarians worried about the sound of crumpling crisp packets? Don't worry—there are whisper-quiet vending units in the hallways with snacks that won’t interrupt your reading when you eat them.
It’s not just about the cuisine. You might see vending machines that dispense chargers, masks, and rainy-day gear. Locals joke that you may be caught in a rainstorm on Princes Street and then find an umbrella in a vending machine. They are the true survivors of Scottish weather.
Of course, nothing is perfect. Sometimes you find yourself gazing blankly into a case of snacks and wondering how it came to this. Do you shake the machine and risk getting yelled at by a guard? Or give up and promise never to trust a robot with your snack needs again?
Don’t forget about these quiet food soldiers if you're on the Royal Mile. A mix of memory and mystery meal, they are. Every time you walk by, you may find an unexpected treat, because local businesses are always stocking up fun twists. You never know: a strange food could make your day, even if you weren’t planning to stay long.