• by Teresa Buyikian , March 18, 2024

Move over, Cup O’ Soup, there may be a hot and fresh pizza arriving to a vending machine near you soon.

PizzaForno, the “first automated pizzeria that bakes … 24 hours a day,” per the company’s release, has expanded to Maryland, with a new location in Silver Spring.

Although the vending machine-like units may be new-ish to the U.S., the company has been using technology made popular in France by ADIAL since 2018 and already has 2,200 locations operating in Europe.

PizzaForno currently has 70 locations in the U.S. in California, Georgia, Michigan, Texas, Louisiana and now Maryland. with over 100 additional locations scheduled for the U.S. and “plans to have 25,000 operating units by 2028,” per the company.

The new Maryland location will hold a grand opening event on Mar. 22, with free pizza, music, games, freebies and giveaways. Customers can enter to be one of two winners of free pizza for a year.

Hospitality veteran A.J. Grillo is behind the new location and stated in the announcement that he also “look(s) forward to continuing to grow the (PizzaForno) brand across Virginia and Washington D.C." Grillo also has plans to install PizzaForno units in universities, hospitals and apartments complexes, among other locations.

Customers order from PizzaForno via the company’s app 24/7, where they are able to select ingredients, check inventory, order and reserve pizzas for pickup at a nearby unit. Pizzas are ready in three minutes.

Grillo’s restaurant background includes serving as general manager of United Restaurant Group in Richmond. The restaurant group is under the leadership of Tony Grillo, A.J.'s father, and is the second largest franchisee of TGI Fridays.