A Brief History of Vending Machines

It is hard to imagine a world without vending machines. Whether grabbing a candy bar to get you through a long afternoon at work or a bottle of water after a workout, vending machines are a part of our normal routine.

The history of vending machines can be traced back to the first century when Heron of Alexandria, a prolific inventor, developed a machine to prevent the theft of holy water. Today, vending machines are a multi-billion dollar industry and there are approximately eight million vending machines currently in operation throughout the United States.

Vending machine technology has come a long way since the first century. And while these machines didn’t really catch fire until the 1880s, since that time the technology behind these machines has continued to evolve. What follows are some of the highlights in the history of the vending industry:

• The first commercial, coin-operated vending machine was introduced in the early 1880s in London because businessmen needed quick and convenient options for food.
• In 1888 that the vending machine made its way to the United States. The first U.S. vending machine dispensed Tutti Fruity chewing gum.
• Soft drink beverages were first sold from vending machines in the early 1920s and dispensed into a cup. Soda bottles arrived in vending machines about 10 years later.
• The first vending machine that accepted paper bills was invented in the mid-1960s.
  It was in the mid-2000s that vending machines really began to diversify. At that time, vending machines began to be stocked with much more than just soda and candy. These machines began to dispense items as diverse as toys, hot foods, fish bait and socks. Today, it would not be unusual to purchase a fresh, green salad from a vending machine at the mall.
• While vending machines have remained a constant fixture in America, there have been some vending trends that did not have much staying power. For example, in the 1960s and 1970s, people could pay to watch a half hour of television in places like laundry mats and bus stations but that trend did not last. Vending machines that dispensed cigarettes also have fallen by the wayside as concern over underage smokers has risen.
  Today’s vending machines—like almost everything else—have gone high tech. You can now pay by credit card or an app on your smartphone.
• The most innovative vending machines in the world today are located in Japan. That country, with the highest per capita rate of vending machines in the world, boasts vending machines that dispense everything from flowers to clothing to hot vegetables.

While technology and trends come and go, the vending machine has stood the test of time. Who knows what you will be able to purchase from a vending machine in the coming years!