--- title: Instant Ramen: Hot pot shop vending machine description: Ramen vending machines are popping up in the U.K. canonical: https://time.com/3987474/noodle-vending-machine/ author: Melissa Locker article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-08-06T18:39:19.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:48:16.376Z og:title: An Instant Noodles Vending Machine Just Opened in the U.K. og:description: Ramen vending machines are popping up in the U.K. og:url: https://time.com/3987474/noodle-vending-machine/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltb4b57435a8de29d4/69885e3235ba6f2108c0e8a2/pot-noodles1.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1911 og:image:height: 1075 og:image:alt: Pot Noodle vending machine og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: An Instant Noodles Vending Machine Just Opened in the U.K. twitter:description: Ramen vending machines are popping up in the U.K. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltb4b57435a8de29d4/69885e3235ba6f2108c0e8a2/pot-noodles1.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # An Instant Noodles Vending Machine Just Opened in the U.K. > Sponsored content. 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A Pot Noodle vending machine, which has been installed on Mansfield Road in Nottingham on Aug. 3, 2015. Pot Noodle vending machine. A Pot Noodle vending machine, which has been installed on Mansfield Road in Nottingham on Aug. 3, 2015.Alex Britton—PA Images/AP by [Melissa Locker](https://time.com/author/melissa-locker/) ## Melissa Locker Aug 6, 2015 6:39 PM UTC It might be time to throw away your microwave, because hot instant noodles are now available in a vending machine — in part of the world, anyway. So-called pot noodle vending machines (not to be confused with [actual pot vending machines](http://time.com/62027/marijuana-vending-machine-unveiled-in-colorado/)) have been a regular fixture on Japan’s streets for years, but the U.K. just got its very first one on Mansfield Road in Nottingham. It could mean the U.S. is on the brink of a ramen vending machine invasion. The nifty vending machine is called the Hot Pot Shop and provides a cup of noodles, [hot water and a fork](https://twitter.com/jessica%5Fdellow/status/628592959093538817) for just a few pence. Choices include chicken and mushroom, tomato, beef, spicy curry, or whichever button you drunkenly hit with your finger as you stagger home from the bar. If a trip to Japan or the U.K. aren’t in your imminent future, you can [purchase your own](http://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/full-automation-hot-cup-noodle-Vending%5F1100803328.html?spm=a2700.7724857.35.1.62KibO) instant ramen vending machine to install in your living room. \[H/T [Mashable](http://mashable.com/2015/08/06/pot-noodle-vending-machine/)\] ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3987474/noodle-vending-machine/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3987474/noodle-vending-machine/"},"headline":"An Instant Noodles Vending Machine Just Opened in the U.K.","datePublished":"2015-08-06T18:39:19.000Z","dateModified":"2026-08-04T07:48:16.376Z","description":"It's called the Hot Pot Shop","url":"https://time.com/3987474/noodle-vending-machine/","keywords":["Newsfeed","food and drink"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltb4b57435a8de29d4/69885e3235ba6f2108c0e8a2/pot-noodles1.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Melissa Locker","jobTitle":"","url":"https://time.com/author/melissa-locker/"}],"articleSection":"","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltb4b57435a8de29d4/69885e3235ba6f2108c0e8a2/pot-noodles1.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Pot Noodle vending machine","caption":"Pot Noodle vending machine","creditText":"Alex Britton—PA Images/AP","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-newsfeed/","name":"Newsfeed"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3987474/noodle-vending-machine/","name":"An Instant Noodles Vending Machine Just Opened in the U.K."}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Foods That Make You Hungrier","description":"You might think you’re snacking or taking care of mealtime, but these are the foods that’ll trick your brain into eating more.","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/vOK7tf4n/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2015-08-01T18:39:23.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/vOK7tf4n.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/3987474/noodle-vending-machine/","duration":"PT1M21S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/3987474/noodle-vending-machine/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```