Customers rush to hairy crab vending machine

Hairy crabs, one of the most popular delicacies of the season in eastern China, are being sold in a vending machine at an office building in downtown Shanghai.

As news spread, eager customers hurried on Thursday, only to find that the machine, which holds 100 crabs, had run empty by noon.

The hairy crabs came from Yangcheng Lake, a freshwater lake in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, that enjoys a reputation as the home of the best crabs, which typically weigh between 100 and 150 grams and sell for 15 yuan ($2.25) each - considered a bargain, as such crabs usually fetch at least 10 yuan more at regular markets, according to an employee who was tending the machine and asked not to be named.