RANCHO CORDOVA, Calif. — A pizza vending machine is up and running at a Rancho Cordova shopping center.
PizzaForno, an automated pizza chain, installed its first pizza-serving robot in California late June at Nimbus Winery along Folsom Boulevard, according to Charlene Pabro-Leconte, a local PizzaForno owner. She said she left her job in tech sales to pursue the venture, bringing it to the Sacramento area where she grew up.
The vending machine stores frozen pizzas, she said. Once someone orders a pizza at the kiosk, the machine sends the meal through a conduction oven.
Customers can choose from six flavors: pepperoni, meat-lovers, cheese, vegetarian, breakfast and barbecue chicken. A 12-inch, medium-sized pie yields about six to eight slices depending how big customers cut it.
“Robotic arms lift it up from the pizza box, cook it and it goes right back in the pizza box and comes out the door,” she said.
Pabro-Leconte said every three to four days the machine is cleaned, restocked and menus are refilled or maintained.
Gallery: PizzaForno debuts pizza vending machine at Nimbus Winery in Sacramento County
PizzaForno: A North American phenomenon
PizzaForno’s headquarters are based in Toronto, Canada, according to the company’s website.
Its vending machines expanded into locations like hospitals, campuses and gas stations in 2020 across Ontario, the company said. They debuted in the United States in 2021; the first reportedly found success in Jackson, Michigan.
Pabro-Leconte said other states featuring PizzaForno machines include Texas, Utah, Mississippi, Georgia, Louisiana and Florida. There are also plans to expand into Costa Rica, the company said.
The company looks to operate machines elsewhere in Sacramento County, Sacramento city limits and Southern California, according to Pabro-Leconte.
She told ABC10 she thinks companies are turning to automated pizza systems because of operational efficiencies, availability, space and scalability.
“These machines can operate around the clock enhancing convenience and increasing sales opportunities,” she said. “Less space is required compared to traditional restaurants and can easily be scaled to multiple locations.”
Rob Wassmer, a Sacramento State University economics professor, told ABC10 automated machines are becoming more appealing for business owners as they minimize costs.
