The redbox concept is simple. Each fully automated redbox kiosk holds 630 DVDs, representing up to 200 of the newest movie releases. Consumers simply use a touch screen to select their favorite movies, swipe a valid credit or debit card and go. The complete rental transaction takes only moments. Customers can keep the DVD for as long as they’d like and return it to any one of redbox’s more than 19,000 locations nationwide. For added convenience, customers also can visit www.redbox.com or via iPhone to select a DVD online and pick it up at the redbox location of their choice.

The concept of redbox originated in 2002 within McDonald’s Ventures, LLC, which was working to identify new ways to drive traffic to McDonald’s and provide added convenience and relevance to customers. The business concept originated with a variety of automated convenience options, including fully automated "convenience store" kiosks. Through consumer testing and in-store trial, the concept of new release DVD rentals emerged as the most appealing to consumers.

Under McDonald’s ownership, redbox spent several years refining the redbox concept with a series of market tests. Redbox’s first market test launched in 2004 in Denver, Colorado-area McDonald’s restaurants. Following positive customer feedback, in 2005, McDonald’s expanded the test to more than 800 restaurants across five additional markets: Baltimore, Houston, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Salt Lake City and St. Louis.

In November 2005, Coinstar, Inc. announced an agreement with McDonald’s Ventures, LLC, to invest in redbox. The agreement gave Coinstar a 47.3 percent share of the company and made redbox a separate company from McDonald’s. In February 2009, Coinstar announced its intent to purchase the remaining stake of redbox from McDonald’s and other minority interest holders.

Redbox has rented more than 500 million DVDs since its inception and rents more than 1 million DVDs per day. Redbox has more than 19,000 locations nationwide, including select McDonald’s® restaurants, leading grocery stores and Walmart, Walgreens and 7-Eleven stores in select markets.