Change machine A change machine is a vending machine that accepts large denominations of
currency and returns an equal amount of currency in smaller bills or coins. Typically these machines are used to provide coins in exchange for paper currency, in which case they are also often known as bill changers.
Cigarette vending beneath a cherry tree, Rostock, Germany|left|upright=0.65 In the past,
cigarettes were commonly sold in the United States through these machines, but this is increasingly rare due to concerns about underage buyers. Sometimes a pass has to be inserted in the machine to prove one's age before a purchase can be made. In the United Kingdom, legislation banning them outright came into effect on 1 October 2011. In Germany, Austria, Italy,
the Czech Republic, and Japan,
cigarette machines are still common. Since 2007, however, age verification has been mandatory in Germany and Italy – buyers must be 18 or over. The various machines installed in pubs and cafés, other publicly accessible buildings, and on the street accept one or more of the following as proof of age: the buyer's identity card, bank debit card (smart card), or European Union driver's license. In Japan, age verification has been mandatory since 1 July 2008 via the
Taspo card, issued only to persons aged 20 or over. The Taspo card uses RFID, stores monetary value, and is contactless.
Birth control and condom vending machines , 2022|upright=0.7 A birth control machine is a vending machine for the sale of
birth control, such as
condoms or
emergency contraception. Condom machines are often placed in public toilets, subway stations, airports, or schools as a
public health measure to promote
safe sex. Many pharmacies also keep one outside, for after-hours access. Rare examples exist that dispense
female condoms or the morning after pill.
Food and snack vending machines vending machine in
Hong Kong -branded vending machine in a hospital in
La Louvière,
Belgium Various types of food and
snack vending machines exist in the world. Food vending machines that provide shelf-stable foods such as chips, cookies, cakes, and other such snacks are common. Some food vending machines are refrigerated or frozen, such as for chilled soft drinks and ice cream treats, and some machines provide hot food. Some unique food vending machines exist that are specialized and less common, such as the
French fry vending machine and hot pizza vending machines, such as
Let's Pizza. The
Beverly Hills Caviar Automated Boutique dispenses frozen caviar and other high-end foods.
Bulk candy and gumball vending : a bulk candy machine containing
M&M's,
Skittles, and
Runts The
profit margins in the bulk candy business can be quite high –
gumballs, for instance, can be purchased in bulk for around 2 cents per piece and sold for 25 cents in
gumball machines in the U.S., and other countries. Gumballs and candy have a relatively long shelf life, enabling vending machine operators to manage many machines without too much time or cost involved. In addition, the machines are typically inexpensive compared to soft drink or snack machines, which often require power and sometimes refrigeration to work. Many operators donate a percentage of the profits to charity so that locations will allow them to place the machines for free.
Bulk vending may be a more practical choice than soft drink/snack vending for an individual who also works a full-time job, since the restaurants, retail stores, and other locations suitable for bulk vending may be more likely to be open during the evening and on weekends than venues such as offices that host soft drink and snack machines. The
bulk vending machines of today provide many different vending choices with the use of adjustable gumball and candy wheels. Adjustable gumball wheels allow an operator to not only offer the traditional 1-inch gumball, but they can also vend larger gumballs, and non-edible items such as toy capsules and bouncy balls. Adjustable candy wheels allow an operator to offer a variety of pressed candies, jelly candy, chocolates and even nuts.
Full-line vending A full-line vending company may set up several types of vending machines that sell a wide range of products. Products may include candy, cookies, chips, fresh fruit, milk, cold food, coffee and other hot drinks, bottles and cans of soda and other drinks, and even frozen products like ice cream. These products can be sold from machines that include hot coffee, snack, cold food, and bottle machines. In the United States, almost all machines accept bills with more and more machines accepting $5 bills, along with payment from traditional
debit and
credit cards, or a
mobile payment system. This is an advantage to the vendor because it virtually eliminates the need for a
bill changer. Larger corporations with cafeterias will often request full line vending to supplement their food service.
Newspaper vending machine A newspaper vending machine or newspaper rack is a vending machine designed to distribute newspapers. Newspaper vending machines are used worldwide, and they can be one of the main distribution methods for newspaper publishers. According to the
Newspaper Association of America, in recent times in the United States, circulation via newspaper vending machines has dropped significantly: in 1996, around 46% of single-sale newspapers were sold in newspaper boxes, and in 2014, only 20% of newspapers were sold in the boxes.
Photo booth A photo booth is a vending machine or modern
kiosk that contains an automated, usually
coin-operated, camera and film processor. Today, the vast majority of photo booths are digital. The typical transaction consists of a user using the display interface to select the type and quantity of tickets and then choosing a payment method of either
cash,
credit/
debit card or
smartcard. The ticket or tickets are then printed and dispensed to the user. ==Specialized vending machines==