Hungry shoppers embrace chicken machine

By mid-afternoon on Tuesday, a crowd gathered around a silent vending machine at LOJ Plaza in Spanish Town, St Catherine with schoolchildren, shoppers and business operators stopping to stare at the dark screen and ask the same question, "Wah gwan?"

The popular Zoops 1 vending machine, known for dispensing fast-food items in branded packaging, was offline when THE STAR visited. Dozens of people lingered nearby, some just out of school, others on lunch break or running errands.

"It never open Saturday, either. If it did open today, them woulda come already," one woman remarked.

Despite the shutdown, customers said they were willing to pay a premium for the convenience. One woman said she previously paid $1,350 for two pieces of chicken, about $300 more than the regular price, and still considered that it's worth it.

The development comes days after KFC Jamaica publicly distanced itself from the operation, clarifying that it is not affiliated with the third-party machine. The company said it can only account for food sold directly over its counters, not items later resold by external operators.

Michael Myles, lecturer at the University of Technology (UTech), sees potential in the idea. "I think it is innovative. It is something new. It is something I would welcome, once provisions are made to ensure public safety," he said. "I don't know why they never thought about it before. It's a very good idea."

But support, he stressed, must come with safeguards. Several health considerations, he noted, would need to be addressed before such machines become widespread, including storage, transportation and maintenance.

"How are those food items transported to that machine?" he asked. "You also have to talk about who is managing and monitoring it."

Temperature control, he warned, is critical. "Bacteria builds up if the machine is not operating at the proper temperature."

Beyond vending machines, he pointed to everyday habits many Jamaicans take lightly. People often rely on "feeling fine" as proof food is safe, rather than proper handling practices, he told THE STAR.

"A lot of us convince ourselves that if we leave chicken on the kitchen counter overnight and eat it the next morning and we don't feel any way, then it's fine; but that is a chance an individual takes at their own risk."

Food safety failures, he explained, can quickly escalate into public health issues, particularly when handling standards are ignored. "There is a host of concerns that can arise from that," Myles said, pointing to the risks of improper handling and food-borne diseases.

With vending-style food services still new locally, he acknowledged there is no clear regulatory framework."This is something novel. They have never had to deal with anything like this before," he said, adding that policymakers will likely need to adapt.

"They will have to determine the dangers and hazards and what sort of regulations need to be put in place."

Many customers, he noted, assumed the machine was operated by the franchise, which would have implied corporate oversight. "But once a third party is involved, questions arise," he said, including how food is sourced and transported.

Despite the machine being offline, customers say they remain supportive of the concept. One patron, Sita, praised the food quality. "This chicken nice same way, hot and ready and taste better," she said. "The machine warm it. It nuh taste like microwave food."

She also described the venture as smart business. "I personally think it's a brilliant business idea. The first day me see it, the line deh way dung deh so; security had to come and part the line."

For her, convenience is key. especially in an area without a nearby KFC outlet.

"No KFC nuh deh pan the plaza, so it's like a restaurant," she explained. "Only coleslaw and corn nuh deh pan the menu."

Even so, she said the service is worth the extra cost. "We will pay a little more because it convenient," she said, "instead [of] we go join nuh long line."