Most of us usually just grab a coke and a snickers when we head to the vending machines, but the popularity of those retail boxes has resulted in a number of, well, how should I put it, unusual entries into the vending market. Japan seems to have cornered the market on the unusual, and most of the machines listed here will be found in the far east part of the world.
I’ve always thought it odd that people sell seafood at roadside stands, but it’s even more peculiar to get a live crab or lobster from a vending machine. The lobster one in particular does bring a wee bit of fun to the vending experience given that it is presented in the form of one of those claw grab games. It may be a good idea to hit a live bait machine first, giving yourself a better shot at landing the crustacean of your choice.
The next couple are strange, but actually quite smart; umbrella machines are very popular in Japan, and a lot of European countries have comfy shoe machines where ladies can buy a pair of soft slippers after a hard night’s dancing in heels.
Those are not the only practical types of vending machines, a mall in Minnesota has a machine that dispenses baby products like diapers (new, thankfully), baby powder and creams. Or how about a drinks machine that comes complete with facial recognition and will recommend a beverage based on your mug? Almost positive it would recommend some sort of hard liquor for me.
Folks in Japan may not care that sort of recognition when they buy their porn magazines from vending machines; makes me wonder if the machine is stored on a top shelf behind pieces of brown paper.
The Japanese have also introduced a machine that dispenses fresh eggs, but you have to wonder if you will have to stick to making scrambled after their drop from the dispenser. If your brain is scrambled, how about picking up your medication from a vending machine as some folks do in Wyoming? I’d hate to misspell my meds and end up with laxatives instead of my Viagra. Speaking of prescriptions, there are now vending machines in California where you can pick up your medical marijuana; just need someone to place a brownie machine beside it and watch the cash roll in.
The Dutch are famous for getting around on bikes, and they have turned that love into a business with bike vending machines that allow users to rent the two-wheeler and return it to any other machine in that city. You may not be able to pick up a cycle, but the Sky Mall vending machine will let you purchase all those odd little items that you see in their in-flight catalog.
There are countless more strange machines all over the world, and I can only assume that, as the vending machine popularity continues to grow, the weird and wonderful will become even more prevalent.