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About This Quiz
Did you know that the very first prototypes of the vending machine didn't dispense food items, but other things? In particular, the early incarnations of this wonderful automated machine are said to have dispensed tobacco, while the earliest kind of the more modern type of vending machine actually dispensed postcards. Imagine that!
These days, vending machines can actually dispense about anything out there, depending on what part of the world you are. Since tobacco was an early supplier, it's but natural that we find cigarettes being dispensed in vending machines today, too, and we can see these kind of machines worldwide. There are also some machines that dispense health items, even contraceptives such as condoms. So safe sex is within reach already these days. Imagine that!
But of course, the most popular kind of vending machine is still the one that dispenses food and drinks. That category alone could produce hundreds, if not thousands, of vending machine varieties. There are machines that pack the usual dried and wrapped snacks, and there are those that sell fresh kinds of food as well. Beverages of all sorts can also be accessed this way, and one could go crazy just trying out all of these snack items readily available through these machines.
So, do you think you can identify these common goodies found inside such machines? It's easy! Open the quiz and let's roll!
V8
Dasani Water
PowerAde
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola, or Coke to most of us, is certainly the most favorite vending machine soda, hands down. Studies show that it has a nearly 50% share of the market in this area, so that’s really a huge number for competitors to chase!
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Doritos Nacho
Cheetos Crunchy
Cheetos has its fair share of finger-licking snacks found inside vending machines all over. Depending on your taste, just look for Cheetos Crunchy or the Flaming Hot kind if you’re more adventurous.
Sunchip French Onion
Ruffles Regular
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Red Bull
Energy drinks come in third in a ranking of the most popular kind of vending machine products, so it’s no surprise that people can get their Red Bull fix from a machine as well. It’s actually the most popular brand of energy drink you can get from a machine.
Honey Green Tea
Lemon Black Tea
NOS Original
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Ruffles Oven Baked Cheddar and Sour Cream
Ruffles has its fair share of vending machine snacks, but they also have varieties of the healthy and not-so-healthy kind. People swear by the Ruffles Oven Baked Cheddar and Sour Cream, which is considered as “healthy chips,” so try it!
Funyuns
Marble Cake
Powder Doughnuts
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Ruffles Regular
Rice Krispies Treats
Kettle Corn
Lay’s
When it comes to potato chips, you can always rely on Lay’s to deliver a good bag. If you like the traditional, get a bag of the Classic one or the Sour Cream and Onion kind. For the more adventurous, they also have Tomato and Basil, Sea Salt Thick Cut or the Dill Pickle flavor.
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Act II Butter Popcorn
You might be familiar with Act II Butter Popcorn as that microwavable popcorn that comes in a box of several individually wrapped bags. But you can actually get one of those individually wrapped popcorn bags in a vending machine, ready for popping anytime and anywhere!
David Sunflower Seeds
Kar's Salted Cashews
Mr. Nature Aloha Mix
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Monster Original
Snapple Diet Peach Tea
Vending machines have had their share of bad press because they seem to always carry unhealthy snacks. Snapple Diet Peach Tea addresses that issue, since it’s also available in vending machines as a healthier beverage option.
Fresca
Fanta Orange
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Takis Fuego
White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cliff Bar
Famous Amos Double Chocolate Chip
When you’re craving good old-fashioned chocolate chip cookies, trust that there will be a Famous Amos Double Chocolate Chip tucked inside a vending machine somewhere. This product is ever-present in many snack machines.
Austin Zoo Animal Crackers
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Power-C
Pepsi
Cold beverages, including sodas like Pepsi, count as the fourth most popular kind of product sold in vending machines. Who could resist a cold can of Pepsi, especially on a hot day?
Sierra Mist
Pibb Xtra
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Cloverhill Apple Round
Cheese Cake
Maruchan Instant Lunch
Instant noodle soup products have also made their mark inside vending machines, and college students swear by them whenever it’s time to rush a meal while rushing paperwork. The Maruchan Instant Lunch kind is among their favorites, and these products come in various flavors such as Beef, Chicken, Shrimp, and even California Vegetables.
Dole Tropical Salad
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Dr. Pepper
We all know that our favorite carbonated drinks were invented by scientifically-inclined people, and Dr. Pepper is one of them. Thanks to a pharmacist in Waco, Texas, we can now enjoy a can of this carbonated cold drink, available in any beverage-selling machine in the U.S.
Barq's Root Beer
Lime Coke
Revive
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Mega C
Gatorade Cool Blue
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Minute Maid
Minute Maid is a line of juice products, but it’s more recognizable for the orange juice variant. And this variant is also available in vending machines, as well as the other juices from this brand like fruit punch, apple juice and even lemonade.
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Nestlé Crunch
Hershey’s milk chocolate bar
Perhaps many American kids’ earliest memory of buying a chocolate bar from a vending machine involves a Hershey’s milk chocolate bar and some quarters or dimes. This classic product is still being widely sold worldwide in machines and in stores, so many more kids are still enjoying it as we speak.
Aero
Lala Choco
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Sobe
Tropicana Juice
Aquafina
7-Up
During the counterculture era of America, it was a smart PR thing to brand 7-Up as unlike any cola out there, and unlike the usual dark-colored carbonated drink, so they pitched it as the “uncola.” Anything “anti” during those years was considered a hit, so 7-Up hit the jackpot with that slogan back then.
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Evian
Fuze Diet Green Tea
Coffee
Gatorade
Gatorade is sold as a thirst-quencher that’s good for active people on the go. This is why you also see many athletes featured in their ads as spokespersons of the brand, such as Michael Jordan in the ‘90s, plus it’s also the official drink of many sporting leagues.
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3 Musketeers
Snickers
It’s no secret that people flock to vending machines to get a quick energy fix from their favorite candy bars. And those who like Snickers bars are in luck, because many candy-carrying machines carry this brand all around.
Fruit by the Foot
Twix
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Doritos
Doritos traces its origins inside the happiest place on earth, Disneyland, particularly in a Mexican restaurant there that had to improvise using tortillas. Thus, the tortilla chip was born, and Doritos now come in many flavors like Jalapeño, Spicy Nacho and Cooler Ranch, available in many vending machines out there.
Miss Vickie's Smokehouse BBQ
Flamin' Hot Cheetos
Chex Mix Honey
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Lipton Iced Tea
Coffee Energy
Mountain Dew
There are different kinds of sodas or soft drinks, and it’s interesting to know that Mountain Dew is classified as a citrus soft drink kind. PepsiCo manufactures this one, and its direct competitor is its longtime rival company Coca-Cola is named Mello Yello.
Glaceau Water
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Pay Day Candy Nar
M&M's
Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
The Hershey Company makes a lot of products that are within your reach, packed within vending machines distributed widely. And when it comes to peanut butter treats, it’s Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups that still rakes in the most coins.
Almond Joy
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Basil Brownie Crisp
Grandma's Peanut Butter
Rice Krispies
Pop Tarts
Pop Tarts can come in a huge box filled with 12 or so pastries, but they can also come in smaller packaging to suit vending machine specs. There are many flavors to choose from, but you can’t go wrong with blueberry, cherry, raspberry or strawberry.
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Skittles
If you’re craving some fruity flavors in your chewy candy, then grab a pack of colorful Skittles from a vending machine. You can have the original pack that’s red in color, or you can try the different varieties such as the Skittles Sour, Tropical, Wild Berry and the other ones as well.
Mr. Nature Trail Mix
Corn Nut Chili Picante
Brownie Baker Coffee
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Wrigley’s Gum
If you’re not into so much candies or chocolates, then you might want to try some gum, which is also carried by many kinds of vending machines. The ever-present Wrigley’s Gum is there, and you can choose from their many variants like Juicy Fruit, Double Mint, Peppermint or Winterfresh.
Clorets
Mentos
Tic Tac
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Java Monster
Fruit Punch
Diet Coke
The proliferation of “healthier” kinds of sodas or carbonated drinks also entered the vending machine market. So for those who are looking for their top soda pick but in lower-calorie form, go for Diet Coke in cans.
Powerade Grape
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Evian
Lemonade
Water
Coffee
It’s no surprise that in a survey of the 10 most popular products found in vending machines, coffee tops the list of favorite beverages. That’s because it’s easier to have a vending machine with different types of freshly brewed coffee in there, or even iced coffee varieties, than plugging in a traditional coffee maker to brew a pot. Thank your office admin department for that!
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Sensible Foods Cherry Berry
Brownie Baker Lemon
Nutella & Go!
If you’re craving some Nutella spread, Nutella & Go! is a quicker alternative if you’re outside and hungry already. This is actually a snack pack featuring everyone’s favorite spread, plus some pretzel sticks to dip and swirl in it – and bite!
Welch's Fruit Snacks Strawberry
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Strawberry Crunch Bar
Snickers Ice Cream bar
Skinny Pop Popcorn
Welch’s Fruit Snacks
There has been a call to have more vending machines carry more healthy kinds of snacks, and the Welch’s brand addressed this need by making their Welch’s Fruit Snacks line available inside vending machines. Now, it’s easy to get one you like; choose from the usual Mixed Fruit kind, the Apple Orchard Medley, the Strawberry kind, the Island Fruits type or even the Berries ‘n Cherries kind.
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Bottled water
While vending machines are attractive for the various flavored and sweetened beverages they sell, the very simple bottled water comes high in a list of favorite vending machine drinks to buy lately, simply because many people are realizing that they need to cut down on their sugar. So many brands of bottled water out there benefit from this trend, even if the existence of plastic bottles is something being debated about in environmental sectors today.
Java Monster Loca Moca
Power Zero Grape
Fuze Refresh Peach Mango
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Milky Way
Licorice
Hershey Almond
Baby Ruth
Baby Ruth is one of the most popular candy bars out there that are available in many baseball stadium vending machines. Its association with legendary New York Yankees player Babe Ruth helps with that popularity.
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M&M’s
A pack of M&M’s will obviously be present in many vending machines nationwide, and internationally. The lovable small candy-coated chocolate candies come in their original milk chocolate kind, the peanut variety and also the peanut butter kind.
Milky Way Dark
Munch bar
Twix Bar
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Butterfinger
Lifesavers
Starburst Original
Chewy candy lovers automatically reach out for the taffy candy shaped like a box called Starburst Original in a vending machine. One long stick-like shaped packaging contains several of these fruit-flavored chewable candies.
Whatchamacallit
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Nabisco Wheat Thins
Knott's Apricot
Bowl Noodle Soup
Beef jerky
Beef jerky is indeed a kind of healthy vending machine snack that many Americans love eating. Depending on one’s brand loyalty, they can get brands like Jack Link’s, All American Smoked Jerky and Trail’s Best, to name a few.
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Aero
Special K bar Strawberry
Smarties
KitKat
The global food brand Nestlé is now the owner of the snack called KitKat. While it’s simply a chocolate-covered wafer, you can head to Japan to try their out-of-this-world KitKat flavors not readily available elsewhere. They have Matcha KitKat, Strawberry Cheesecake Kitkat, Tokyo Banana KitKat, Edamame KitKat, of course Wasabi KitKat and even a Sake KitKat!
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Knott's Berry Strawberry
Pepperidge Farm Milano
Grandma’s cookies
Grandma’s cookies come in many varieties, and they’re found in many snack machines. Take your pick from chocolate chip, peanut butter and even oatmeal raisin cookie.
Goldfish Cheddar Cheese
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Italian Sub Sandwich
Turkey Burger
Hot Pockets Pizza Pocket
If you’re a fan of the pocket sandwich pastry called the turnover, then you canget Hot Pockets varieties available in many vending machines out there. Many flavors are available.
Bacon and Egg Breakfast Biscuit
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Potato chips
Crackers
Crackers are also an ever-present kind of vending machine snack, and many people still pick them for their simplicity and nutritional value as well – depending on the flavors, of course. You can get a pack of Keebler crackers, like the Cheese and Peanut Butter kind, or the Lance crackers, like the Whole Grain Cheese kind.
Breakfast biscuits
Cornflakes
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Mr. Z Teriyaki Beef Jerky
Pepperidge Farm Goldfish Ranch
Granola bars
Granola bars are recommended by nutritionists as healthy snacks, something that many vending machines don’t have. But for those who do, they usually carry the Nature Valley brand, like the Apple Crisp or Chewy Trail types.
Bumble Bee Tuna Salad
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100 Grand Bar
Mr. Goodbar
Nutrition Chocolate Peanut Butter Bar
Milk Duds
The original Milk Duds delighted American children when it first came out in the 1920. More than a century later, it’s still a chewy choice for many kids and kids at heart who love some caramels in their mouths.
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Chef Boyardee Ravioli Lunch Kit
Nature Valley Oats 'n' Dark Chocolate
Fig Newtons
The very established brand of fig roll is called the Fig Newtons, and it’s available in many vending machines. Nabisco is the company that owns the trademark for this term.
Meatball Sub Sandwich
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Trail Mix
Mountaineers, hunters and just about any outdoor-loving person out there pack some trail mix with them wherever their adventures take them. And if they run out, they can head to the nearest vending machine to get some packs, like Mr. Nature or Kar’s.
Snapz Organic Apple Cheese Crisps
Planters Spicy Nuts
Premium Bean and Cheese Burrito
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Caramel Almond
Cup noodles
Pretzels
Pretzels come in various forms, but they can all be found inside different kinds of vending machines. The ones packaged like chips tend to be dried and smaller, such as the Snyder’s pretzel type, while there are vending machines that carry freshly baked pretzels, too.
Blueberry muffin
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