Abstract: A rice vending machine includes a housing, a rice container, a packing unit and a controlling unit. The controlling unit and the cooperative packing unit make it possible to adjust the amount of the purchased rice as necessary. Therefore, the rice can be more freshly and hygienically reserved without waste. Without man, the rice vending machine can sell the rice without limitation of site and business time so as to lower rice selling cost.

Abstract: Apparatus to transfer heat to the surface of a product includes a product support, a duct having a duct entrance, a duct outlet and a longitudinal duct axis and a plenum for delivering temperature controlled fluid into the entrance of the duct such that fluid flows longitudinally of the duct toward the outlet. A perforated plate has at least one orifice, having an orifice axis extending generally toward a product support for forming a jet of fluid, having a jet axis, flowing in a predetermined direction. The longitudinal duct axis of the duct is rotated relative to the orifice axis for changing the direction of the jet axis relative to the orifice axis for moving the jet axis relative to the product support.

Abstract: An automatic vending machine has a housing containing a plurality of vertical commodity storage chamber sections in a side-by-side arrangement. A thermally-insulating divider panel is fixedly disposed between each pair of adjacent chamber sections in a manner that the adjacent chamber sections are communicated with each other through an air channel therebetween. A removable thermally-insulating divider panel is placed between a selected pair of adjacent chamber sections to block the air channel, thereby forming fist and second groups of chamber sections that are not communicated with each other. The first and the second chamber section groups can individually be refrigerated and heated, respectively. A top edge of the removable divider panel is adapted to abut a part of the corresponding fixed divider panel, and both the edges, when abutting to each other, are upwardly inclined toward the front of the vending machine so as to facilitate replacement of the removable divider panel.

Abstract: A machine for dispensing food items has a cooling unit for accommodating packages of edible inner part and separately outer baked dough part; a unit for opening a package with the edible inner part; a unit for withdrawing individual edible inner part from the open package; a unit for thermal processing of each edible inner part; a unit for opening a box with outer baked dough part; a unit for placing the thermally treated edible inner part into the outer baked dough part in the open package; a unit for warming up the outer baked dough part with the edible inner part located inside the outer baked dough part so as to form a finished food item; a unit for dispensing the thusly formed finished food item; and a transporting a unit for displacing packages with the edible inner parts, the individual inner part, the boxes with the outer baked dough part, and the finished food items between said preceding means.

Abstract: There is disclosed a vending machine in which a plurality of article columns are slant to be directed to a plurality of vending mechanisms, respectively. Each of the article columns is composed of a plurality of shelves for accommodating a row of articles. Each of the article columns is provided with a vending mechanism, so that articles of different kinds can be sold dependent on the number of the article columns. For this structure, at least one vending mechanism is set for an arbitrary one of article selection buttons. Thus, when the number of the article columns for accommodating the same kind of articles is set in accordance with the sales amount of the articles, different kinds of articles are sold out at an approximately same time.

Abstract: A dispensing machine for dispensing items of hot food comprises a freezer compartment for storing items to be dispensed, a heating compartment, a dispensing location, and a transport mechanism for conveying items form the freezer compartment, via the heating compartment, to the dispensing location. The transport mechanism has a flexible transport web to which the items to be dispensed are secured. Driving means advance the web from the freezer compartment to the dispensing location. The web has code markings on it indicating the positions of the food items on the web. A code reader reads the code markings to control the driving means for advancing the web.

Abstract: A combination microwave and air impingement oven has two magnetrons and an air handling system that includes two or more reciprocating ducts through which air is dispensed into the oven. The rotating ducts are configured to stir microwave energy in the oven to prevent formation of hot spots and to sweep microwave radiation over the surface of the food product. A foraminous partition, configured to encircle a portion of the cooking chamber, has a central portion and extremities mounted to divide the interior of the cabinet into a cooking chamber and an air heating chamber. The partition extends around a major part of the periphery of the cooking chamber such that air is drawn along multiple paths toward side walls and toward the rear wall from the cooking chamber.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, a vending machine includes a number of failure control devices that monitor and control the functioning of the various components in the vending machine to ensure uniform quality of food products to be sold to a customer. One specific embodiment includes plurality of oven failure control devices, a freezer failure control device and a power failure control device. When a microcontroller in the vending machine determines the occurrence of a failure, the microcontroller displays a failure message on a customer display and discontinues vending food until the failure is corrected, for example, by an operator. In another aspect of this invention, the vending machine includes a mechanism for operating a door of a refrigeration compartment of the vending machine. The mechanism includes a motor driven rotary link coupled to a roller that moves in a slot of the door.

Abstract: A vending machine includes a refrigeration compartment, an oven compartment, structure for transferring a food product from the refrigeration compartment to the oven compartment, and structure for transferring the food product from the oven compartment to a user of the vending machine. The vending machine provides automated handling and cooking of packaged food products that enables a hot cooked food to be delivered to a customer in a cool package sleeve. The vending machine also includes a system for inventory control that enables vertical storage of packaged food products while minimizing crushing of packaged food products at the bottom of a stack. A magazine empty indicator automatically indicates when an inventory magazine is empty. An oven door latch mechanism eliminates the possibility that the oven can be operated while the oven door is open.

Abstract: A dispensing machine for dispensing items of hot food comprises a freezer compartment for storing the items to be dispensed, a heating compartment, a dispensing location and a transport mechanism for receiving items from the freezer compartment, via the heating compartment, to the dispensing location. The transport mechanism has a flexible transport web to which the items to be dispensed are secured. Driving means advance the web from the freezer compartment to the dispensing location. The web has code markings on it indicating the positions of the food items on the web. A code reader reads the code markings, to control the driving means for advancing the web.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, a vending machine has one or more programmable cook cycles for use with one or more heat sources in cooking a food package to be dispensed to the customer. In one embodiment of this invention, each cook cycle includes a start time and a duration. Each cook cycle is associated with a heat source and a product code indicating the type of food to be cooked. Initially, cook cycles are copied into a random access memory from default cook cycles hard coded in the software program code and stored in electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM) of the vending machine controller. The cook cycles in RAM can be over written by an operator for the various type of foods to be cooked. The cook cycles in RAM are used by the vending machine to automatically cook a food product selected by a customer, without any further inputs.

Abstract: The unattended machine has a hopper for holding an inventory of uniformly-sized, individual, frozen or refrigerated portions of food and for maintaining the inventory in a frozen or refrigerated condition. Insertion into the machine of a genuine dollar bill is verified by an electro-optical mechanism which signals control and monitor circuitry to initiate food preparation by causing a microwave oven below the hopper to open and rotate into a food-receiving position below a dispenser, located below the hopper, which then dispenses an individual portion of food into the oven by gravity. The oven then rotates to a horizontal cooking position and closes its door, where the portion is heated by microwave energy for a pre-determined length of time. Upon completion of heating, the oven door is opened and the oven tilted downward and the heated portion of food is dispensed by gravity through an opening or port in the machine.

Abstract: This invention includes a method and apparatus for vending frozen foods and also for vending hot previously frozen foods. The invention includes the use of a microwave oven, and a delivery system that maintains the food in an upright orientation so as to prevent spilling of hot foods. An important feature is that the invention does not destroy the microwave containment integrity of the microwave oven and therefore is safer from a radiation perspective.

Abstract: An automatic taco machine can automatically make both soft and hard tacos. Storage compartments for soft tortillas and hard taco shells are mounted above a V-shaped conveyor. A soft tortilla is removable from a stack of tortills by a vacuum pick-up head and is heated and is inserted between a pair of heated plates where it is compressed and heated. A pusher bar moves downwardly through slots in the heater plates to fold the tortilla and push it onto the conveyor. A hot food dispenser and a cold food dispenser dispense hot and cold food onto the tortilla as it is moved by the conveyor. A hard taco shell is removable from a stack of taco shells by a reciprocably mounted peeler which separates the bottom taco shell from the stack and supports the stack while the bottom taco shell drops to the conveyor. The conveyor moves the taco shell past the hot and cold food dispensers.

Abstract: An apparatus for guiding food discharged from an automatic vending machine. The apparatus comprises a guide plate fixed to a front end of a lower shutter, which is adapted to be moved back and forth to discharge easily heated food, and a guide bracket provided under a heating unit, which is adapted to guide the guide plate and the food. Since the guide plate pushes food to a discharging outlet when the heated food falls down into the guide bracket so that the user can easily take out the food of the outlet. Since it is not necessary to increase an inclined angle of the guide plate, height of the discharging part can be reduced. Hence, receptive capacity of a food stacking part is relatively increased as compared with the same sized machine.

Abstract: A completely automatic, fully self-contained vending machine of standard size which may be operated so that a packaged (boxed) dough-based food product such as a pizza can be withdrawn from a freezer for storing the food product, and delivered to a microwave oven for heating to an appropriate temperature, for delivery (of the heated and cooked food product) to the consumer within a relative short, commercially-desirable time period on the order of one minute or less.

Abstract: Coin-operated machine for dispensing foodstuffs preserved in frozen condition and ready to be served hot in situ consisting of a casing (2) having a door (3) inside which there is a freezing unit (4) having doors and supporting elements, connected to a compressor unit (6) and a motor (30). The freezing unit (4) has, inside, trays (7) on supporting guides (8) fitted with a multiplurality of hooks (9) acting as electric resistances. On the lower side, there is a hopper (20) connected with the upper entrance of an oven (21) having an upper door (22) and a front door (23). The freezing unit contains the frozen product in a plastic package which has a ring or strip of low density arranged on the hooks (9), the assembly operating from a computer (13) acting on all the mechanisms.

Abstract: Apparatus for transferring heat between temperature controlled air dispensed from a pair of oscillating ducts and a food product in a cabinet having an interior compartment bounded by front, side and rear walls. A foraminous partition, having a central portion and extremities, is mounted to divide the interior of the cabinet into a cooking chamber and an air conditioning chamber. It is configured to encircle a portion of the cooking chamber such that the air conditioning chamber extends around a major part of the periphery of the cooking chamber wherein air is drawn along multiple paths toward side walls and toward the rear wall from the cooking chamber.

Abstract: A vending machine includes a refrigeration compartment, an oven compartment, structure for transferring a food product from the refrigeration compartment to the oven compartment, and structure for transferring the food product from the oven compartment to a user of the vending machine. The vending machine provides automated handling and cooking of packaged food products that enables a hot cooked food to be delivered to a customer in a cool package sleeve. The vending machine also includes a system for inventory control that enables vertical storage of packaged food products while minimizing crushing of packaged food products at the bottom of a stack. A magazine empty indicator automatically indicates when an inventory magazine is empty. An oven door latch mechanism eliminates the possibility that the oven can be operated while the oven door is open.

Abstract: A vending machine having a food storage box, a food freezing chamber having a chute provided for permitting the food from the food storage box to fall down, a food heating apparatus for heating the food fallen from the chute and a food heating chamber having a food discharging port for discharging the heated food, includes a movable type cooled air discharging prevention device, provided between a food discharging opening provided at a lower portion of the chute and an upper shutter provided at an upper portion of the food heating apparatus, for preventing the cooled air from being discharged outside; and a stationary type supporting device, provided between a lower plate of the food freezing chamber and the movable type cooled air discharging prevention device, for permitting the movable type cooled air discharging prevention device to smoothly move and bumpering the impact thereonto.

Abstract: Disclosed is a vending machine for vending fried foods. The machine has a hopper for storing frozen food. The food is measured into a weigh basket and then transferred to a fry basket in a deep frier. The food is fried, and then delivered to the customer in a serving cup. The cooking oil in the deep frier can be replenished or even completely replaced at periodic intervals. The hopper can be moved forward out of the freezer and tilted forward to allow for easier cleaning and refilling. A stack of condiment packages is loaded into a tube, and the tube is inserted into a receiver. The first package rests on a support platform, and the receiver holds the tube at a position to secure all of the packages above the first. A push block on the end of a piston rod pushes the first package out from under the tube, and then retracts to allow the stack to fall to the support platform.

Abstract: Apparatus for transferring heat between temperature controlled air dispensed from a pair of oscillating ducts and a food product in a cabinet having an interior compartment bounded by front, side and rear walls. A foraminous partition, having a central portion and extremities, is mounted to divide the interior of the cabinet into a cooking chamber and an air conditioning chamber. It is configured to encircle a portion of the cooking chamber such that the air conditioning chamber extends around a major part of the periphery of the cooking chamber wherein air is drawn along multiple paths toward side walls and toward the rear wall from the cooking chamber.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for vending a hot food product wherein a sealed container is moved from a protective sleeve and deposited in an oven where heat is transferred to the container for initially melting a protective sealing film and then heating the food product. After the food product has been heated, the container is removed from the oven and reinserted into the protective sleeve prior to dispensing the heated food product.

Abstract: Device for reheating and dispensing cooked meals arranged on a meal tray and stored on stand-by in a refrigerated enclosure. Each tray may contain different foodstuffs, and can therefore be selected by the consumer. Reheating is carried out by a sliding oven on an endless ballscrew, assisted by two slide rails. The oven moves in front of the selected tray. In the refrigerated enclosure, trays are stacked on shelves with slide rails, and an endless screw slides a camshaft provided with snugs so that it triggers the tray-moving mechanism, and a detector determines which snug corresponds to the selected tray. Once the snug is engaged in the mechanism the camshaft rotates from left to right and vice-versa to activate the mechanism's rocker bars which slide the tray into or out of the oven.

Abstract: A system for and method of storing and automatically dispensing predetermined amounts of one or more food products from closed containers is described. The system preferably includes multi-compartment containers carried by a carrousel assembly and moved by a dispensing mechanism for automatically selecting the appropriate container and compartment for which food is dispensed. By using a control with memory for keeping inventory, the system can dispense any one of several food products on demand.

Abstract: Process for the automatic dispensing and automatic dispenser (1) of products (63), in particular of packaged food products, arranged on trays (20) of a storage device (2) comprising means (3) for transportation in a closed circuit, from which means the trays are suspended in a continuous chain and which have gear members (5) with horizontal and parallel axes, with the aid of an extracting device (56) comprising at least one pusher (62) and suitable for extracting the products from the storage device when the trays are, respectively, at a discharging station. When one of the trays is at the discharging station (55) and the pusher (62) is arranged laterally to the product (63) to be extracted which is carried by this tray (20), means displace the pusher (62) parallel to the axes of the gear members (4, 5) of the transportation means (3) so as to push and slide this product on this tray parallel to these axes in order to extract this product at one of the transverse ends of this tray.

Abstract: A restricted access vending device with included microwave oven. The device includes a cabinet having a refrigerated compartment containing a plurality of product selections, a compressor associated with the refrigerated compartment, and means for vending a particular product selection to a user. The microwave oven is disposed inside the cabinet and shares a common power supply access with the compressor. An access door is disposed in the cabinet between the user and the microwave for limiting access thereto. The door opens upon the vending of a product selection for a preset period of time so that the user may insert the vended product into the oven. Upon activation by the user of a cooking switch, the access door closes and the microwave operates to heat the vended product.

Abstract: A food shelving and cycling system for wrapped food items includes an elongated shelf for storing wrapped food items and unwrapping apparatus for separating each food item from its wrapping. Sensors mounted within the floor of the shelf and a controller monitor the time that a wrapped food item is positioned within the shelf and initiates its removal from the shelf if the food item is positioned within the shelf in excess of a desired period of time. The system includes heating components for heating the food items until removed from the shelf, and the unwrapping apparatus facilitates the division of a food item and its wrapping into edible and non-edible refuse.

Abstract: An improved french fried product dispensing apparatus is provided comprising a frying bath, a food hopper located above and to one side of the bath, a frying basket movable from an upright position in the frying bath to an least partially inverted position outside the bath, a device for effecting such a movement, a device for ejecting a portion of the food from the hopper into the basket when the basket is in a position between its upright position and its at least partially inverted position, the food hopper having a mechanical impeller therein to prevent bridging of food in the hopper, the hopper enclosed within a refrigerated sub-housing and providing an enclosure for insulating and refrigerating portions of food when removed from the hopper and maintained in the device for ejecting a portion of the food.

Abstract: An automatic food frying and vending system having a refrigerated storage chamber for storing food material to be fried and a frying chamber for frying material in cooking oil are installed in the main body of the automatic food frying and vending system in discrete sections designated for their respective purposes. The refrigrated chamber includes a stocker unit for receiving and keeping a number of packed containers, each sealed by a lid. A feeding device is provided with a holder for receiving from a conveying device the sealed container and inverting the container.

Abstract: An automatic food vending machine comprises: a cooking means for cooking food materials; a first storage means for preserving food materials for a long period; a second storage means for preserving food materials in a condition that they can be instantly cooked by said cooking means; a first transport means for transporting food materials from said first storage means to said second storage means; and a second transport means for transporting food materials from said second storage means to said cooking means. A large quantity of food materials may be stored in the first storage means and transported to the second storage means by the first transport means as required. In the second storage means the food materials are stored so that they may be instantly cooked. The apparatus permits on one hand preservation of a large amount of food materials without deterioration and on the other hand prepare them for quick heat treatment for sale.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for vending a hot food product wherein a sealed container is moved from a protective sleeve and deposited in an oven where heat is transferred to the container for initially melting a protective sealing film and then heating the food product. After the food product has been heated, the container is removed from the oven and reinserted into the protective sleeve prior to dispensing the heated food product.

Abstract: An automatic sandwich preparation system including a meat patty and bun storage and delivery system. The patty system includes a number of canisters containing meat patties mounted on a carrousel and tilted inwardly toward the center of the canister. An ejection blade slides the bottom patty from the bottom of a selected canister onto a wire conveyor. Each canister is coded for the size of the meat patties contained in it. The carrousel is mounted in a freezing chamber. The bun system includes parallel shelves holding the bun portions in rows separated by step-driven dividers. The bun portions are delivered from the trays into a bun transport that in turn delivers the bun portions to a toaster.

Abstract: A pizza making machine for applying selected ingredients to a pizza crust comprising a number of side-by-side dispensing stations, one station for each of a number of topping ingredients, with each station including means for storing and delivering on command a preselected amount of selected topping ingredient to a crust and means for supporting and sequentially moving the crust under the dispensers so that the topping ingredients are dispensed sequentially on the crust. The custom pizza is then selectively deliverable to a customer uncooked, or to an oven where it is baked in accordance with the selected ingredients and delivered to the customer.

Abstract: A vending machine for food goods is provided with refrigerated storage holders. By means of a selection device package refrigerated products are removed from a storage holder and transferred to a microwave oven. According to the invention a number of microwave ovens is provided in order to enlarge the capacity of the vending machine. Means are provided to position the food products in one of the microwave ovens available.

Abstract: An apparatus for storing, heating and dispensing portioned foods items has a cooled storage unit for storing portioned food items, a cooking unit for heating the portioned food items, a transport lift unit for transferring the food items to be heated from the storage unit to the cooking unit and an output unit for transferring heated food items from the cooking unit to a dispensing station for dispensing. The storage unit includes a plurality of conveyor belts upon which the portioned food items are stored and which transport the food items to the transport lift unit. Each of the lift transport unit, the cooking unit and the output unit includes a conveyor for transferring the food items.

Abstract: An automatic food frying and vending system which is so constructed that a storage chamber for storing therein the food material to be fried in their frozen state and a frying chamber for frying the material in cooking oil are installed in the main body of the automatic food frying and vending system in discrete sections designated for their respective purposes; then a stocker for receiving and keeping a larger number of packed containers, each having lid or cover, of the abovementioned food material to be fried is provided in the abovementioned storage chamber; a carrying device for taking out, one by one, from the storage chamber each container of the food material to be fried which has so far been housed in the stocker, and a transporting and feeding device for receiving thereon the container of the food material to be fried, as taken out of the storage chamber by the carrying device, opening the sealed cover of the container, and forwarding the food material to be fried into the frying chamber.

Abstract: A vending machine stores a plurality of cups that are filled with primary food products and sealed with covers, and on command, dispenses one cup from the plurality of cups, removes the cover from the one cup, and adds secondary food products to the primary food product in the one cup. The primary food product can be heated. The operation of the vending operation is automatically controlled.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for automatically processing, cooking and selling noodles, which is applied to so-called boiled and cooked noodles, such as "wheat vermicelli", "buckwheats" and "Chinese-style vermicelli".

Abstract: A control circuit for a refrigerator combined with a microwave oven includes signal delay selecting and comparing circuitry start sensing circuitry timer circuitry and load driving circuitry in order to properly control operations of the refrigerator and the microwave oven. The control circuit eliminates unnecessary delay time of the operation of the microwave oven during operation of the refrigerator, and makes the refrigerator operate after start-up of the microwave oven is completed.

Abstract: A microwave oven and a refrigerator are combined in a single cabinet and share line power supplied to the cabinet. Door interlocks and a manually settable time are provided for disconnecting electrical supply to the compressor of the refrigerator during operation of the magnetron of the microwave oven. The circuitry provided ensures that electrical supply is reconnected to the compressor upon expiration of the timer setting, even if the door of the oven is incidentally left open after use.

Abstract: A container storage and dispensing apparatus. The apparatus includes a housing for enclosing a storage and dispensing area, the housing having an access door for inserting the containers and having a first and a second exit door for dispensing the containers. The apparatus also includes first and second guides for guiding and supporting containers to the first exit door. Further the apparatus includes third and fourth guides for guiding and supporting containers to the second exit door.

Abstract: The refrigerated or heated air flow within the storage chamber of a vending machine is varied by an air flow control device. A baffle plate or cover plate, or combination thereof, is used to control the direction of air flow. The position of these plates in turn is controlled by spring elements. One of the spring elements is formed of shaped memory alloy so that its recoil strength changes in accordance with its surrounding temperature. Thus, the difference in recoil strength between these spring elements changes with temperature. That difference is used to position the baffle and/or cover plates to control air circulation.

Abstract: A vending machine for fast food articles such as warm burgers comprises a freezing store, a microwave oven and handling and control device for successively transferring a paper wrapped article from the store to the oven and, thereafter, from the oven to a delivery position. The oven has a bottom hinged door, the rear side of which is provided with an article carrier plate having a shape suitable for receiving the articles when the lid is partly open and for bringing the articles into the oven in response to the door being closed. Moreover, the carrier plate serves to guide the heated articles out of the oven into a dispensing receptacle in response to the door being opened to a fully open, downwardly inclined position.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to apparatus which is designed to dispense a variety of food service items such as packets of condiments, sauces, toppings, etc. The apparatus provides a receptacle in which the packets may be bulk-loaded without regard to their orientation. The packets may be mixed or matched without the necessity for loading them in magazines or other dispensing devices. An electrically-powered heat exchange means is provided to cool the apparatus.

Abstract: Apparatus for use in a vending machine comprises a refrigerated storage chamber mounted over a microwave oven which contains a conveyor. The arrangement is such that containers of food released through apertures in the floor of the storage chamber may fall vertically into the oven and may be discharged laterally by the conveyor once heating is complete.

Abstract: A portable temperature-controlled food dispenser is provided for dispensing condiments, salad dressings and related types of foods under temperature control to prevent or at least retard food spoilage by preferably suitably cooling such foods. A thermally-conductive receptacle on the dispenser receives and supports selected alternative arrangements of thermally-conductive magazines for dispensing individual portion packs of food and thermally-conductive bulk storage food dispensing containers. The receptacle enables heat transfer between the receptacle and the selected arrangement of magazines and food containers on the receptacle. An electrically-powered heat exchanger is thermally coupled with the receptacle to enable heat transfer between the heat exchanger and the receptacle.

Abstract: An automatic dispenser for hot and cold food products comprises an isothermal cabinet in which a plurality of horizontal conveyor belts arranged one above another comprises a plurality of conveyor belts on which the food products are stored and a single delivery conveyor belt leading to a delivery opening in the cabinet. A microwave oven disposed in the cabinet above the horizontal conveyor belts has a door and a small conveyor belt inside. A lift comprising a small conveyor belt on vertically movable frame is provided adjacent vertically aligned ends of the horizontal conveyor belts and oven conveyor belt. The conveyor belts, oven and lift are controlled by a computerized control system in the manner that if a customer selects a product to be eaten hot, the product is transported to the oven, heated and transported to the delivery opening. If a customer selects a product to be eaten cold, the product is transported to the delivery opening without going to the oven.

Abstract: A food vending machine having a selection station, a magazine for a plurality of refrigerated or unrefrigerated portioned food items, a heating apparatus, a serving station and a conveying apparatus between the magazine and reheating apparatus. The magazine is disposed in a supply cabinet (11) which is separable from a serving cabinet (12) containing the reheating apparatus, the serving station (21) and the conveying apparatus in order to improve the hygenic operation of the vending machine (10), while simultaneously reducing the refrigeration demand and increasing the serving speed.

Abstract: Dispenser apparatus for a complete meal includes a refrigerated cabinet in which is disposed a plurality of prepared meal packages which include hot portions and cold portions, the cold portions being protected by foil wrap or other microwave impregnable shield. After a meal has been paid for, the meal package is transferred from the top of a stack and moved to a microwave oven where the hot portion of the meal is warmed by microwave energy. The portion or portions of the meal which are shielded from the microwave energy remain cool so that the meal package, as delivered, includes warm portions and cool portions.