Vending Machines - A Benefit For All!
Vending machines can be found in the most unexpected of places - convenience stores, laundromats, banks, gas stations and so on. Sometimes they are left unattended with the cash or credit card slot open; other times they have a guarded entrance. The point is that vending machine possibilities are endless with every category from food and drinks to clothing and beauty products to household appliances.
The first vending machine was invented in 1869 by an American temperance activist named John Simeon Olds who wanted to create a device that would help reduce alcoholism by allowing people easy access to non-alcoholic beverages. The idea took off and over the years, vending machines have proven themselves to be very successful. In fact, the industry has grown and continues to grow exponentially every year.
Today, vending machines are as varied as the people who use them. For some individuals, it's a novelty that brings them joy in helping give them a little pocket money now and then. For others, it's a way for them to supplement their income with free money or just spend some of the fun money they have left over from their paycheck at the end of each month. For many people, it's the way they earn their entire income.
Today there are almost 8 million vending machine operators in the United States earning an average of $50,000 a year or more. For many people who are disabled or unable to work, vending machines provide endless opportunities to earn money on a part-time basis or full-time without excess stress, hassles or cost.
There is no investment required in order to get started but the initial cost of a machine can vary depending upon your market and location. Most machines are leased but some owners purchase their machines outright with no monthly lease or in some cases, the machine owner and operator take a percentage of each item sold.
Most operators lease their machines from a leasing company where the machine is inspected for quality and then leased on a monthly basis to qualified operators. Leasing companies typically offer a wide variety of rates for both new and used machines. In fact, for many types of vending products there are lease packages available that add value to the initial cost of the machine.
Vending machines can be found in various locations such as churches, schools and community centers. They can be found at airports, ballparks, bus stations and bus terminals among other locations throughout the country. When they are located at airports, their purpose is to provide airline passengers with choices from a number of foods, beverages and products that can include magazines.
Vending machines can range from the traditional soda machine to provide patrons with a choice of colas and other soft drinks to the "grab n' go" snack machine where the patron can pick up a variety of items including chips, pretzels, frozen treats and other items. They can also be found in many stores like grocery stores and convenience stores for various items including bacon or fresh baked breads.
There are many different types of vending machines today depending upon the type of products it contains and what those products are used for. There are also many different company designs for vending machines depending upon the type of products it offers.
The first vending machine was invented by John Simeon Olds who saw a need for something that would help reduce alcoholism by providing an easier access to non-alcoholic beverages. Olds lived in Batavia, Ontario Canada, where around 1869 he invented the first gasoline station with the concept of a "Gasoline Octopus." This was later upgraded and called an "Octopus at the Edge of Time" which would dispense non-alcoholic beverages to wayfarers who stopped at its gas pumps.
Before opening his doors, Olds sold his invention to Lutherville Maryland using their patent on it. Lutherville, Maryland was then the home of three other "Gasoline Octopus"s. A fourth octopus would pop up at the corner of Vesey and Church Streets in New York city shortly after.
Olds would later go on to invent a machine that sold cigars, cigarettes and tobacco as well as a candy machine. He also opened up a Pneumatic Parcels Railway Company that he designed to deliver items throughout the house via tubes. It was never used but the design is similar to today's mail chutes.
Olds' working model can be seen at Canada's Batavia historical society in Ontario along with his patents and other documents related to these vending machines.
Vending machines would continue their upward climb through the years with products such as soap, towels, cigarettes and food products being marketed throughout the country. One of the early patented vending machines that was opened in 1919 in two big cities were New York City and Washington D.C.
The first known coin operated machine was opened in San Francisco by an English immigrant named Fred J Edwards who invented a machine that sold soda water, candy and cigars. He opened his first machine where a newspaperboy could get a soda for five cents or two nickels at a time. He would also sell cigarettes every 15 minutes for a nickel and five cent change.
Edwards followed his success by opening up a bar called "Club Soda," where he would sell cigars along with other products such as candy, ice cream, sandwiches and baked goods. He would keep customers content by feeding them whatever they wanted at anytime of the day or night from seemingly any place in his establishment. This concept would later be opened up to a number of other establishments around the country.
In the 1920's vending machines were used by many private businesses throughout the country to fill orders for their food companies who also opened their own private machines in order to provide their customers with food products.
This allowed the food companies to cut their labor costs by having the machines do all of the work. The food companies would add their products to a drum in the machine and then it would be dispensed throughout the day, night or whenever the customer needed it.
In some cases, there were no changes made to these machines for decades with many of them still being in operation today. A number of these older types of vending machines can still be found in office buildings or large apartment complexes showing just how long they have been in operation.
The history of vending machines and soda machines goes back over 100 years before it became what it is today.
Conclusion
Vending machines are now found in most cities, towns and rural areas throughout the country. They are also available in various forms and styles. Vending machines continue to evolve based upon customer demand for the products that they sell.
There are many different types of vending machines today depending upon the type of products they contain and what those products are used for. The largest company dedicated to vending machine sales is Sunvite International, Inc., which was established by Gary Vaught in 1992. Today, Sunvite has more than 300 locations around the country including: Columbus, Ohio; Las Vegas, Nevada; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; St.