Gate-area vending when everything else at ROC is closed
ROC’s Vending Machines fill the gaps when concessions shut down early or you land on a late-night flight. You’ll find units both pre-security in the main lobby and post-security near several gate areas, so you don’t have to backtrack once you clear TSA. Stock shifts a bit by machine, but expect standard chips, candy bars, sodas, bottled water, and a few canned energy drinks.
Prices run higher than street level: a bottled drink that’s $2 in town often hits $3–$3.50 here, and candy sits around the $2 mark. Machines generally take major credit cards and tap-to-pay; some still accept $1 and $5 bills, but don’t count on getting change back in bills instead of a stack of coins. If you’re connecting through ROC and have under 15 minutes before boarding, this is usually your fastest way to grab something.
Selection isn’t huge, and you won’t find hot food, but you can usually snag a snack before a 6:00 a.m. departure or after a 10:30 p.m. arrival when the cafes have their gates down. Check the glass before you pay; a few machines end up with empty rows toward the end of the day. If you care about caffeine, scan for the one that carries energy drinks instead of plain soda.
Practical move: buy water or a drink here after security rather than in the ticketing lobby, so you’re not stuck chugging it at TSA or tossing a half-full bottle in the bin.