Pre-flight snacks from Selecta’s vending machines at STN
Selecta runs self-serve vending machines across London Stansted Airport, so you’ll see the blue Selecta branding in multiple spots in the main departures area and landside concourse. These machines carry bottled drinks, crisps, chocolate bars, mints, and sometimes basic sandwiches or pastries, usually priced between £1 and £5 per item.
Because Selecta isn’t a staffed counter, there are no fixed "hours" in the usual sense; the machines operate 24/7 as long as the terminal is open and powered. That makes them one of the few food options available for passengers on very early departures before 05:00 or late arrivals after 22:00, when many Stansted cafés shut or run reduced menus.
Expect standard UK brands in the Selecta machines: Walkers crisps, KitKat and Snickers bars, Coca‑Cola and Pepsi bottles, and still or sparkling water in 500 ml sizes. Contactless payment works on most units, so you can tap a contactless bank card or phone rather than dig for coins; cash acceptance varies by machine and some card readers at Stansted are known to be a bit temperamental during heavy use.
If you want something more substantial than a snack, you’ll likely spend closer to £6–£12 per person at one of the airport cafés or restaurants instead of the £2–£3 you’d typically drop at Selecta. Think of Selecta as a backup: grab a drink and a packet of crisps before a 90‑minute Ryanair hop, or pick up a chocolate bar as a quick sugar hit before a 06:30 boarding call from the main departures gate zone.
Practical tip: prices on Selecta machines landside and airside at Stansted run higher than a typical high‑street supermarket, so if you’re really budget‑sensitive, buy a bottle of water for about £1 at a shop on the way to the airport and use Selecta only if you’re short on time once you reach departures.