A vending machine proofed against the pinching of a customer's fingers and with a security feature includes a cabinet, a receiving tray, a shielding board, and gear wheels. The cabinet includes a cabinet body and a door rotatably attached to the cabinet body. A number of merchandise shelves are located in the cabinet body. A through opening is defined in the door. The receiving tray is attached to an inside of the receiving tray and aligned with the through opening. The shielding board covers the through opening and is toothed to allow lowering for access by the customer to the bought merchandise when the internal drop of an item of merchandise is sensed and raising after the sensed removal of the item.