There are more sorts of vending machines than ever before—and they dispense a wider range of products than you might imagine. While no country can compete with Japan in terms of sheer vending machine mania, even here in the U.S., vending machines have become much more varied. If you think vending machines only sell drinks, candy bars, and chips, it’s time to read about these 11 items you can find in vending machines.
Bullets
Of course you can purchase ammunition from a vending machine in this country (well—in Texas, Alabama, and Oklahoma). The fact that we can’t yet tap a credit card and get a 3D-printed gun from a kiosk is surprising. These vending machines are pretty high-tech, using facial recognition and mysterious AI magic to ensure that the people buying the bullets aren’t sketchy, and advocates argue that they’re actually more secure than traditional ammo outlets.
Shoes
A broken heel, flopping sole, or burst shoe seam can ruin your day. Thank goodness someone thought to put shoes into a vending machine. Seen in Las Vegas, Nevada, these machines charge $20 for a pair of ballet flats that can be rolled up for easy storage. Shoe emergencies do happen, after all, and this seems like a pretty cheap and practical solution.
Pizza and burgers
Americans love their fast food, and vending machines have been feeding the desperate and exhausted for decades. While pizza vending machines seem comprehensible—one can imagine they’re just microwaved pizzas with extra steps—a hamburger vending machine seems kind of sketchy. Sure, a robot can probably flip a burger pretty effectively, but the whole “storing ground beef in a vending machine” seems like a one-way ticket to food poisoning.
Making charitable donations
Vending machines aren’t always about corporate America selling things to us. Light the World Giving Machines are reverse-vending machines that allow you to make charitable donations to a range of organizations. The machines are operated by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, but donations can benefit many different organizations, including the Red Cross, UNICEF, and the World Food Program.
Champagne
You’re making your way through the world and suddenly have a craving for Champagne, as one does. If you lack the resources to have some flown out to you, you might be in luck if you’re near a vending machine dispensing mini bottles of Moët & Chandon Champagne. You can actually find these in the wild, so the next time you’re in the mood for a fancy drink, see if you can track one down.
Pecan pie
If you’ve ever been to Texas, you know that pecans are a big deal there, and as a result so are pecan pies. And why not! They’re delicious. And also now incredibly available, because pecan pie vending machines are a thing that exists. Granted, there appears to be exactly one in existence right now, but that’s still more pecan pie vending machines than we would have assumed.
Salads
As with any fresh food option, salads seem antithetical to the whole “vending machine” vibe. And yet capitalism will try to make anything work, so salad vending machines do, in fact, exist. These are refrigerated vending machines, of course, and they are usually restocked several times a week to guarantee freshness, although that brings up the question of how much wasted salad are we talking about here?
LEGO
Yes, your favorite childhood toy, adult obsession, and foot-murdering weapon can be purchased from a vending machine. Seemingly found mainly at airports, for some reason, these machines dispense a variety of sets for last-minute gifting or to occupy you on your 19-hour flight to Singapore.
Stories
If you’re about to hop on a long trip somewhere and have absolutely nothing to keep yourself busy, you might find a short story vending machine at the airport—and they might even be free. And at least one small bookstore is playing with the idea of selling books via vending machine, which seems like a low-cost way to extend their sales and hours of operation.
Cheese
You know how it is: You’re out there living your best life when a serious craving for some brie comes over you. Well, thank goodness you live in the future, because cheese vending machines are out there. They often also offer charcuterie options as well for the total cheese experience. All that’s missing is a wine vending machine next door so you can have a fancy feast right there on the sidewalk.
