A new pizza vending machine has emerged on the streets of Rome, but not everyone is happy.
The Mr Go Pizza machine can deliver various types of pizza within 3 minutes, according to Reuters. The pizza is fully prepared in the machine. The dough is kneaded, then the toppings are added and customers can even watch as their pizza cooks in the oven behind a small glass window. The concept is convenient, but whether it will be a hit in a city unofficially known as the pizza capital is yet to be seen. Reviews are mixed, but customers speaking with Reuters were less than enthusiastic.
"It looks good, but it is much smaller than in a restaurant and there is less topping," said retiree Claudio Zampiga.
Another retiree, going by only her first name, Gina, was appalled.
"Terrible. Pizza really needs to be eaten hot, immediately. This doesn't work for me," she said.
Giovanni Campana, who had tried out the machine, admitted the idea of a machine-made pizza was strange.
"I wouldn't even think of eating a pizza made by a machine," Campana said.
In 2015, a similar concept was unveiled in Italy, much to the disgust of pizza purists, The Guardian previously reported.
"I will not eat this pizza," said Enrico Famà, the director of Accademia Pizzaioli, a school that trains pizza-makers, at the time. "It is not something that is really a pizza."
However, Fabrizio Dughiero, who was driving the project, defended the vending machine.
"It uses all fresh products, but to accelerate the process they have to use some other things. In any case, the flavor is very good," he said.
Japan also introduced its own pizza vending machine in 2018. The 24-hour vending machine, which has been called Pizza Self, is conveniently located outside a local video and CD rental shop in Hiroshima and dispenses fresh margherita and four-cheese pizzas, US magazine noted. This concept is all about convenience and every order comes boxed and accompanied with a plastic bag and pizza roller to slice it. This was a first in Hiroshima, although these pizza dispensing machines have been around Europe for several years.
While pizza purists may forgo vending machines for their prized pies, it is worth noting that Pizza Self has been cooking up a storm in Tokyo and the concept continues to spread across the globe.
Related Stories:
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.