Abstract: A popcorn popping machine adapted for cyclic operation has a feed conveyor for transporting unpopped corn from the reservoir to the base of the popping tube. A heating chamber has a plurality of heating elements over which air flows on its way through conveying ducts to the popping tube. A manually operable selector switch is adapted to be set at a plurality of positions. This switch controls electric circuitry which controls the operation of the feed conveyor for different preselected segments of a cyclic time period. The number of heating elements which are energized are also controlled by the setting of the selector switch. The selector switch also controls the setting of a damper in the air flow conveying duct.