Large boxes of around 2 m³ which grow almost everywhere on the territory… For a decade, pizza vending machines have conquered many spaces. “It started at the end of the 1990s in Italy but without much breakthrough. It’s really since 2015 that the movement has accelerated,” confirms Ludovic Lorillard. Adial's sales director knows what he's talking about. His company, based in Lisieux, is one of three that produces these famous machines in France. “Today, we install around one per day, compared to two during the Covid period”, he continues, estimating their current total number at “5,000, including 2,500 who come from us”.
Most provide many services… but not all are unanimously accepted. Sometimes it even ends in court. Like in Bois-de-Céné, in Vendée. “The matter is over. We lost in form but won in substance since the distributor was removed,” explains the mayor, Yoann Grall. “He was too close to a house, that’s what caused the problem,” confirms his opponent in court, Jérôme Palvadeau.
They slept elsewhere on the weekend
“Several residents came to see me to complain about the noise,” continues the elected official. “They were often woken up at 3 or 4 in the morning. By the engines of vehicles that people did not turn off or by those who came in the middle of the night to get their pizza, not always very fresh in terms of alcohol. On weekends, they even went to sleep elsewhere to be able to rest. »
“The location was not good,” concludes the entrepreneur, who has not yet given up on this contract. He now has six machines in the sector, “including two panini machines”. “It’s a job!” We have a lab and we have to feed them constantly so that there is always enough food in them. »
To heat at home, “it’s 50 cents cheaper”
In order to follow, connected applications exist. “Each pizza is tracked. If after 72 hours it is not sold, we have to throw it away, that's the rule,” explains Christelle Masserann, of the 4P pizzeria in Bitche, in Moselle, about twenty kilometers from Achen, where it installed a distributor in July 2022.
“We feed him in the evening. Inside, the pizzas are 99% made at home and remain in a cold room. All that's left is the cheese to cook, which the forced air oven does in 3'30. But the customer can also choose to reheat it at home, it's even 50 cents cheaper,” continues the merchant, rather satisfied with her leasing, even “if you have to follow it and it's very uncertain”. In any case, she did not have to report any major problem with it, unlike several of her colleagues.
No more cash
“I have already had a screen broken by punches or people forcing the door even though it was armored,” testifies Jérôme Palvadeau, far from being an isolated case. “Yes, there can be degradations, not always voluntary, but I would not say that it is on the increase. Especially since many craftsmen now choose to no longer allow cash payment. This prevents there being money in the ATM,” says Ludovic Lorillard.
His company offers a complete maintenance service to its customers and even organizes… a competition between the machines. Record pizza sales in one day? “290, in Dunkirk,” replies the sales director, emphasizing the positive aspects of its products. “Because they are placed in places where there was no offer, in rural areas for example, or because they complement an already existing pizzeria. The operators then offer products for another clientele that they would not have captured or those who do not want to be in the theater. »
-“Not correct between traders”
In Vittel (Vosges), the Fonti house has its own machine in front of its establishment. But another, from a competitor, was installed at the end of 2023 “200 meters on the private land of a laundromat”, explains the boss, Stéphanie. “I wouldn’t say it bothered us but it surprised us. We were not warned and we did not find it acceptable between traders,” she continues, without wanting to get too controversial. She prefers to retain the positive from her distributor. “It’s a complementary offer and we’ve never had too many problems with it. Once, some people had a little strong alcohol but we quickly intervened since we live next door. Now we put a camera in and everything is going well! » As in most cases in the territory, even where problems have already arisen in the past.
“Now, another distributor is at the entrance to an economic zone and there is nothing to say. I don't have a problem with these machines, rather with their users! », continues the mayor of Bois-de-Céné. “This is why they must be posed in a logical manner in order to meet the needs of the population. Afterwards, it’s certain that in terms of human relations, it’s not the same”
A municipal decree against the establishment
The elected officials of Bonningues-lès-Calais (Pas-de-Calais) are also convinced of this. In December 2023, they rejected the request to install a machine in the municipal council. Their goal? Maintain the existing “social bond” with the traveling pizza maker who comes to the town every week. In Abrets-en-Dauphiné (Isère), the councilor acted in the same direction. He even issued an order prohibiting any future installation, in order to preserve existing local commerce. A sign that vending machines are disturbing…
“But they also bring lots of beautiful things,” defends Anne-Lyse Toussaint, Adial sales representative located in Dijon. “Most of the machines are run by artisans who are real pizza makers. They provide a service to an entire population who cannot or do not want to travel. And behind it, it creates jobs with more pleasant catering hours… We really need to see the complementary side of the vending machines,” she insists, obviously in her role.
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In any case, the market still has a bright future ahead of it. The French are the biggest consumers of pizza in the world, ahead of the Italians and the Americans. In 2023, they had swallowed 1.5 billion!
