Seattle Has a Viral Cake Vending Machine | Eater Seattle

"Nicole Conley, who bakes under the moniker Butter Half Cakes, converted a front-yard refrigerator into a small self-serve cake vending setup: anyone can walk up, take a photo, peer inside to choose, scan a QR code, pay, and the fridge unlocks to release a slice or mini cake. Conley taught herself the electrical engineering and software know-how to build the system—"It was quite the endeavor," she says—and the most visible piece of tech is a light that reads "LOCKED" which turns off once your payment is received. There’s no Amazon-style tracking; "It works on the honor system," admits Conley. The experience is part of the appeal: a friendly, almost whimsical line of people (the writer notes there was "no Seattle freeze here"), a deliberate, ritualized ordering process that can take a few minutes per person, and the small pleasures of seeing the light go off and collecting your purchase. On a recent visit the writer had an Earl Grey cake slice with lemon curd buttercream, which was pleasantly tart and not overwhelmingly sweet. Conley stocks the fridge in the morning for Friday and weekend openings at 11 a.m., and in the third weekend of operation slices and mini cakes were "literally flying like hotcakes." She says the challenge is "trying to find ways to keep up with the excitement.... It’s just a small little fridge and it’s just me." Located at 8039 30th Avenue Northwest in Sunset Hill, the setup often sells out early, so arrive soon after the 11 a.m. opening if you want a slice." - Harry Cheadle