Oyster lovers rejoice, because if you happen to find yourself on Il de Re, an island off the West Coast of France, you can get your hands on delicious live oysters 24 hours a day from a new oyster vending machine.
The service is the brainchild of local oyster farmer Tony Berthelot, who was looking for a way to increase revenues from oyster-hungry tourists and locals. Oysters can be great at any time of day and so Berthelot wanted to give people access to his catch around the clock.
The oysters, which cost around $8 for a dozen are kept in a refrigerated glass dispenser. They will need to be shucked and can also be purchased in advance via text.
"We felt as though we were losing lots of sales when we are closed," Berthelot told Reuters. “There was a cost involved when buying this machine, of course, but we're paying it back in instalments ... And today, in theory, we can say that the calculations are correct and it's working."
So if, when you get the munchies, your cravings extend beyond the usual chocolate, pizza, etc., this could be the perfect late night snack for you. Take a look at 10 more weird and wonderful things you can get from vending machines now, including Champagne and caviar.
All images: L’huîtrière de ré/Facebook
Don’t miss: 4 top chefs share their favourite oyster recipes
