Pizza at the Push of a Button: The Lehel Square Pizza Vending Machine Experience

The Evolution of Pizza Vending Machines

The first pizza vending machine was launched over a decade ago by a Dubai-Italian company called Let’s Pizza, which has been refining its machines for franchise partners ever since. These machines prepare pizzas from scratch: rolling out the dough, adding toppings, and baking everything in just three minutes.

The Lehel Square machine, however, belongs to a Hungarian company called Get&Go Pizza Kft., and it operates differently. The Pizza8 vending machines don’t prepare fresh pizzas but instead heat up frozen ones.

This approach has both advantages and drawbacks. The quality won’t rival restaurant pizzas or even the fresh-made vending machine varieties. However, the Pizza8 machine also allows customers to buy the pizzas frozen, to bake at home later. According to the company’s website, the pizzas are stored in a 3°C refrigerated chamber for up to 72 hours before being heated. When you order a pizza, the machine removes it from its storage box, bakes it, and then returns it to the box before dispensing it.

Another key advantage is the affordable pricing. The pizzas cost around 2,300–2,500 HUF when bought frozen, with an additional 200 HUF fee for baking. The current menu includes five options:

• Classic Margherita
• Spicy Salami (Diavolo)
• Prosciutto
• Hungarian-style
• Ham-Mushroom-Corn (Son-Go-Ku)

Surprisingly Decent Results

The Lehel Square vending machine produces surprisingly decent pizza. No, it’s not restaurant-quality, but for a freshly baked frozen pizza available hot at any time of the day or night, it’s a solid option.

That said, the quality lags behind the Neapolitan-style pizzas that have gained popularity in Budapest in recent years, as well as those from an average mid-tier pizzeria. But considering that for less than 3,000 HUF, you get a hot, freshly baked pizza made from decent ingredients, the deal seems much better.

The location is also a major selling point. While Lehel Square and the market area have several restaurants, most of them close early or don’t operate on weekends. Even when they are open, not all of them provide a reliable experience. For late-night diners or party-goers looking for a quick bite, Pizza8 might just be a lifesaver.

Taste Test: Margherita & Son-Go-Ku

We tried a Margherita and a Son-Go-Ku (Ham-Mushroom-Corn) pizza, both baked in the machine. The Margherita cost 2,490 HUF, while the Son-Go-Ku was 2,790 HUF.

• The Margherita featured a slightly sweet, store-bought-style tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese—but no basil in sight.
• The Son-Go-Ku added ham, canned mushrooms, and corn, giving it a classic budget-friendly pizzeria vibe.

While the ingredients aren’t premium, the overall flavor is acceptable. The Margherita is a safe bet, and while the Son-Go-Ku uses lower-end toppings, the taste is still reasonable.

The crust is slightly better than a typical frozen pizza, with a crispy and enjoyable outer edge. However, the bottom doesn’t crisp up much due to the quick three-minute baking process. The pizzas are best eaten fresh, as they tend to dry out over time—and reheating doesn’t help much.

A major flaw? The pizzas aren’t pre-sliced. So if you plan to eat them on the spot, either bring a knife or prepare to bite into a whole pizza like a sandwich.

Funding & Expansion Plans

Get&Go Pizza Kft. received 425 million HUF from the Economic Development and Innovation Operational Program (GINOP) in 2022 to deploy pizza vending machines. According to their website, the project aimed to “strengthen Hungary’s innovation ecosystem and support sustainable urban development in less-developed regions through pizza vending machine installations.”

So far, only six machines have been installed—two in Budapest, two in Győr, one in Bük, and one in Győrzámoly. This raises questions about the project’s actual impact. We reached out to the company for answers on where and how their pizzas are produced, but they had not responded by the time of publication.

Final Verdict: A Convenient, Budget-Friendly Option

The Lehel Square Pizza8 vending machine is a pleasant surprise and a viable option for anyone looking for a fresh, quick meal at odd hours.

For everyone else, there are compromises to be made, but the price reflects that reality.

Would it replace a great pizzeria experience? No.
Would we grab one after a late night out? Absolutely.