Food vending machines help offer more choices

I differ with the writer’s views in “Vending machine cafes: Bad news for local food culture?” (Aug 27).

These machines can provide meals all day — with low prices, consistent quality and a choice of warm food — and are needed, for example, at factories where employees have limited meal times.

The meals can be eaten on cleaner premises, as many hawker centres are untidy and uncomfortable.

As an idea, the vending machines join food trucks, pet cafes and food bus tours, on top of the ethnic variety that makes Singapore a foodie’s wonderland.

These machines should go beyond the rice and noodle basics to offer innovative meals such as those served by airlines on their long-haul flights.

In this way, each food service provider plays a part in providing a choice of products, prices, places and service or lack thereof.