Facts about vending machines

• A vending machine is a device which dispenses items such as beverages, candies, snacks, cigarettes, ice cream, alcohol, toys, lottery tickets, etc.
• The first vending machine was the work of Hellenic mathematician, Hero of Alexandria. His machine accepted a coin and then dispensed holy water.
• In modern times the first coin-operated vending machines were introduced in London in the1880s, dispensing post cards.
• In Japan vending machines sell products from toilet paper to hot meals and pornography.
• In some rural areas of the United States there are vending machines that sell containers of live bait.
• In Japan there is one vending machine per 23 people.
• Every hour... over 14 million coins are inserted in vending machines located in the United States alone.
• Every hour over...60,000 coins are inserted in vending machines in Australia.
• American people buy more than 5 billion sodas and 8 million snacks from vending machines each year.
• By 2012 it is estimated that the total annual vending machine sales volume shall exceed approximately 60,000,000,000 dollars.
• Popcorn vending machines are extremely fast with cooking times around one ½ to 3 minutes.
• The United States has more than eight-thousand vending companies