I’m not sure if I am getting my stories mixed up or not.. but anyway i am 43. I’ve seen vending machines that have hot food in them, but never an “Automat” type one with a chef in the back cooking stuff and sticking it in the hole.

There was a company in New York City that made an automat restaurant. I remember seeing pictures. Burgers and other stuff, but I don’t think it lasted. Someone else started a sushi vending machine. It didn’t last.

Another place stole my idea, but I can’t remember if it was a restaurant or automat type place. They made interesting flavors of “poptart” like things. My idea, imagine a poptart with Grilled Cheese Flavor on the inside and Tomato Soup Frosting? Wouldn’t be sweet like frosting, but you get the idea. Or one with General Tso’s Chicken inside and a General Tso frosting. That one they were doing, but I had the idea way before them.