I actually think vending machines are a good deal, they sell cheaper stuff and many times with better quality than in the stores, cakes or sandwiches for example. Do you usually buy stuff from vending machines? What do you buy?
I guess I always bought the wrong stuff from the machines because it seems like they are always overpriced. I don't eat cakes or sandwiches so that probably helps. I tried potato skin chips once. The plus is you can't find it anywhere else but I can see why. Then again I'm not a fan of potato chips.
LOL, sure, vending machines are not famous for having healthy food, but they are cheaper than the cafeterias here where I work. I've compared the prices often and even it's not huge differences, I can easily save up to 10 or 20 cents per item and sure, why would I pay more if I can pay less for the same item just a few steps away?
I only usually buy from vending machines if I'm particularly flush that day, there is no other alternative, or I am extremely hungry. The prices are usually extortionate from what I can find. Sandwiches are more reasonable, but usually crisps go for double retail price and other stuff at least 50% more. Tea is usually cheaper than anywhere else, but the quality suffers for it.
Cheaper stuff? Which vending machines are you going to? Obviously not the ones available in London! I was thinking about something the other day, it gets VERY hot on the underground system in London, someone would make a killing installing vending machines on the platforms of underground stations selling bottles of drinks. I have no idea why nobody has thought of this, we used to have vending machines on the platforms years ago selling sweets so why not now selling drinks?
So it's said that London is the most expensive city in the world (or is it Tokyo) and you seem to be insuring that lol, I feel bad for you. I work at a university, so possibly the machines here are cheaper than other parts of the city and it's not a huge difference, but it's surely worth it.
They sell cheaper stuff than the stores, but I've never found them to have a higher quality. I'll use them for things like chips and gum, but not for "actual food".
It's definitely not about being healthy to me. I'm just not a fan of snack foods in general so it's not worth it to me.
Yes, I more or less lived off of the vending machines at one of my jobs for several months. I wasn't able to drive at the time, so it was hard for me to get to the grocery store, let aloe work, because I had to taxi it everywhere. Plus I was on a tighter budget since I was paying taxis every week. So I more or less started eating all of my breakfasts and lunches out of the vending machines at work. Thanksfully they had several machines, with sandwiches and other meals, it wasn't just chips and candy bars. In the mornings I would usually get a sausage and cheese croissant. There was no egg on it, but strangely it came with a packet of yellow mustard. I actually started to really like these things, they would hit the spot in the morning when I got there. I was getting to work extra early, before everyone else got there, so I had some time to grab something to eat and get settled in, without everyone seeing that I was living off the vending machines, lol. For lunch, it was usually a cheeseburger or chicken sandwich out of the same machine. In total it was costing me maybe three dollars or so a day, which wasn't too bad. I always seemed to be able to scrape up enough spare change in my desk or wallet to get the stuff, so it worked out perfectly.
I suppose if you're comparing them to other overpriced options, then sure. Your vending machine options may be cheaper/healthier than what the cafeteria offers. Compared to what you could buy at the store and make yourself, though? I highly doubt it. Even if you don't want to cook yourself, you could still buy similar snacks in larger amounts (ie - not individual packs) for a cheaper price per unit.
Vending machines are cheaper than convenience stores in most cases. I try to avoid them because they mostly have junk that I don't really eat, but I've definitely been known to grab something quick when I'm hungry. If you're saving a few bucks AND a few minutes by grabbing something from a vending machine, it isn't necessarily a bad thing, ya know?
I don't prefer buying things from vending machines. Like the second replied said, they are mostly overpriced here where I live and don't taste good at all. I once bought a cup of coffee from these machines and it tasted like water. I won't touch these machines unless I really have no choice.
It really depends on where the vending machine is. The vending machine in the office I interned in was very cheap, and had decent enough snacks in it. The vending machines in the court house next door were much more expensive, and the food was crappier. The only time that it's alright to eat vending machine food is if your in an hospital and cafeteria's closed.
I only like to buy soda or tissue paper from the vending machine. I think the others are pricier and the size is usually very small and not enough for me. I also only tend to use the vending machine when I really have to but other than that, I still prefer buying from the usual hypermarket that I go to because I think I save more when I buy in bulk. I'm just amazed though that there are really different types of vending machines and I even saw one which dispenses maps. I think that's really cool.
I'm not a regular on vending machines either. Sure, it's always better to buy in the supermarket, but if I'm at work and I'm feeling like something I don't have I just think it's an option we can check and save some money while doing it.
I used to enjoy getting drinks from vending machines back when they were cheaper there than in the store they were in front of. Now, most of them are the same price, if not higher. A few years back our local Walmart had 20oz drinks for about $1.50 near the registers. They were a dollar in the vending machines just a few feet away. Eventually they got savvy and raised the prices up there, too.
That makes really no sense Faux, why would drinks in a vending machine be more expensive than in a place where people sell them and those people receive a wage, of course? The costs are inferior so the price should be inferior too or else the location has to be privileged.
