Bear Luke, Campus Carrier photographer

The first vending machine was invented in 1883 as a means of dispensing postcards, envelopes and notepaper. They were mainly seen around post offices and train stations, becoming an easy and accessible means through which one could obtain information and daily necessities. 

Yet, the modern form of vending machines seen today was created in 1888, when a vending machine that dispensed chewing gum, “Tutti-Frutti,” became available around the New York City subway system. This vending machine was the first of its kind to distribute candy and commercial goods, which later influenced the spread of various vending machine designs and items. Goods like chocolate, cigarettes and soap were bought and sold around the world the advent of vending machines, making them a commonality in everyday consumer life. 

However, are vending machines themselves useful commodities of everyday life? They seem harmless enough; you just stick a dollar in and out comes a bundle of joy. Yet, as with any machine built on the whims of merchandising, it depends on where and how the vending machine functions in relation to everyday life. 

To many people, including me, vending machines are a maligned invention that preys upon the minds of children and adults alike.  

In high school, right next to the cafeteria, were multiple vending machines offering drinks and snacks. When a teenager eats sludge for lunch every day, the boxes close by feel more like chests that ate your money than decorations of a prosperous school. 

Despite that, I started to buy drinks from them. It wasn’t much, just a drink every now and then. At the time, though, I didn’t realize how accessible those vending machines were, or how much money they could sink down the drain. 

Many modern vending machines allow you to scan your card rather than insert money for your treat. This made the process of getting treats from the vending machine more convenient because consumers no longer needed handfuls of bills and coins that could be dropped and rolled underneath the towering weight of the machines before them. 

Additionally, products from vending machines have gradually increased in price thanks to inflation. What used to be only one dollar would instead be around $2.25 today. It is just low enough not to be a nuisance, but just high enough to be a problem.  

When considering these factors, imagine how easy it would be to pass by a vending machine, grab your debit card and get a drink or snack. “It’s only a couple of bucks.” However, what happens when that starts to occur consistently? What happens when you start to look forward to the citrus vomited out of the machine’s mouth? 

I would say that I have likely spent somewhere between $100 and $200 on vending machines since high school. The practicality of vending machines has only grown more intoxicating as a college student. To get my own drinks, I would have to leave campus, use gas, walk through the store, buy drinks and finally arrive back at my dorm. With a vending machine, however, I could buy something right in my building. 

I know I am not alone in this experience either. Since vending machines have been in schools, they have influenced the minds of children to do their bidding. My father has recounted 

to me how he and many of his classmates would line up at vending machines during lunch to pay for drinks or snacks inside, even if that money was meant for their school lunches specifically. 

The consequences vending machines have on the consumer largely depend on where they are and how they connect to the population. In some areas, these machines can only be seen as profitable for suppliers and a rip-off for consumers, while in others they can seem like cultural artifact through which societies can consume treats and find joy.