Coins - 'the root of all evils' and vending machines

MajorDuty

Today we got coinless vending machines at work. Aside from the refrigerated goods it is an open rack system (with Big Brother watching you). We were each given a little bar coded vending machine pay card. You scan your item and then pay with your little vending machine card. You can add money to your pay card by feeding cash into the machine in denominations of 5s, 10s or 20s or you can add money to your vending machine pay card with a credit/debit card.

The machine does not accept coins. The tech hooking us up with our cards and giving us the demonstration said, when referring to feeding money into the machine, “No coins. We got rid of the coins as they are the root of all evils”.

Comments?

CaptHenway

I think that you should refuse to use the machine on general principles.
TD

19Lyds

Interesting.

Since you were "issued" the vending machine card, do you think that this type of machine will go public or is it something that your company is simply experimenting with?

JamesMurray

Latterly i worked many years in Scotland , that's how the vending machines were there , and that was as far back as ..dunno..i'd say 2004 is when i first seen them. I should add , not the public ones ( I don't see how that could ever be implemented ) but within corporate enviroments.

AUandAG

Look at it in a good way.....Put a sign next to the machine that says you are buying
change. Pay 90% and it's a win win. And, think of this my friend, look at all the weight
you might shed because you are not using that machine (snacking when you shouldn't)..


Lemon to lemonade?

bob

PinkFloyd

Well, they're a PITA to count, roll, etc.

Lakesammman

Coins are the root of all evils?? That's news to me.......

Vending machine food suuuucks - I'd probably bring my own food. If a customer, I'd rather have the card operated machines, assuming they are reliable.

kranky

The concept of coins could definitely be "evil" to a company who provides vending services. Some employees can be sticky-fingered. No coins, no theft. The other advantage to the vending company is they have the use of all the money stored on the cards.

Ol' Wimpy would never cotton to this concept. "I'll gladly pay you today for a hamburger on Tuesday."

Baley

Our machines at work take either cash (bills (but not $2 or higher than $20) or coins, (small dollar Yes, half dollar and large dollar, No) or a Smart Card, which we received with a dollar already on it.

Very cool to always have the exact change in the form of a card, and very cool to be able to "store" small change from other transactions on the card and not have to carry it.

this is the way of the future, IMO, first the option of either cash or card (I'm surprised, Major, that your machines are Card Only) and then, someday, cashless.

The "root of all evil" comment was maybe a bit of a joke, with hints of reality in the form of potential for coin jams, theft, and having to handle the coins

drwstr123

Iphone5 or Ipad2 with NFC. (near field communication)
Links to the Itunes account.

pmac

Don't shread your credit cards when they expire, they might be the next collectables.

JamesMurray

<< <i>Don't shread your credit cards when they expire, they might be the next collectables. >>



That raised a smile , i was reading about the guy who sold everything to move into collectable phone cards in the UK , He's still waiting for his payday.

SanctionII

I always find it amusing when someone states that " "____________s" are the root of all evil" [for example coins, guns, knives, SUVs, drugs, etc.].

Idiots.

The idea that an inanimate object is "good" or "evil" in and of itself is ludicrous. Human intervention and use of the inanimate object is what is required before "good" or "evil" arise.

In the absence of human intervention none of the "objects" will do anything. The SUV will not operate and travel down the road, the gun will not fire, the knife will not cut, the drug will not be consumed.

MajorDuty

<< <i>Interesting.

Since you were "issued" the vending machine card, do you think that this type of machine will go public or is it something that your company is simply experimenting with? >>



I think it is for companies only, for the foreseeable future anyway.

Baley, you can put in cash only too for your purchases. I missed that detail. It is convenient, even though the only thing I ever get from the machine is the occasional soda, which the company has graciously set a price of a quarter.

Our cards came with two dollars on the. I'm going to see how long I can leave it on there. Save it for an "emergency."

RichieURich

<< <i>I think that you should refuse to use the machine on general principles.
TD >>


And as far as vending machine food goes, one year right before the year-end holiday, I purchased a sandwich from a vending machine at work. The sandwiches were all dated Dec. 26, 28, etc. When I came in to work after New Year's, the same sandwiches were there, and someone had drawn a line through the December freshness date, and handwritten a January freshness date. Since then I have NEVER purchased a sandwich from a vending machine!

CaptHenway

<< <i>

<< <i>I think that you should refuse to use the machine on general principles.
TD >>


And as far as vending machine food goes, one year right before the year-end holiday, I purchased a sandwich from a vending machine at work. The sandwiches were all dated Dec. 26, 28, etc. When I came in to work after New Year's, the same sandwiches were there, and someone had drawn a line through the December freshness date, and handwritten a January freshness date. Since then I have NEVER purchased a sandwich from a vending machine! >>



Perhaps the vending machine had a stasis box attachment, where time stand still for all eternity inside.......

Baley

soda, which the company has graciously set a price of a quarter.

our company tried that. the "subsidized" sodas and snacks were quickly cleaned out by "stocker-uppers" who took the stuff to their desks and home. Now the prices are "reasonable", not exhorbitant and not "give away" either.

Rich, I agree with you.. and would never buy "fresh" food (sandwiches, fruit, dairy) from a vending machine. chips, candy, sodas, nuts, sure.

RichieURich

<< <i>

<< <i>

<< <i>I think that you should refuse to use the machine on general principles.
TD >>


And as far as vending machine food goes, one year right before the year-end holiday, I purchased a sandwich from a vending machine at work. The sandwiches were all dated Dec. 26, 28, etc. When I came in to work after New Year's, the same sandwiches were there, and someone had drawn a line through the December freshness date, and handwritten a January freshness date. Since then I have NEVER purchased a sandwich from a vending machine! >>



Perhaps the vending machine had a stasis box attachment, where time stand still for all eternity inside.......

>>



Actually, CaptHenway, I thought that this was a brilliant way to extend the shelf life of food! Just change the date on the label!

Harry779

i bet the hackers and crackers will have fun with those machines.

Coinosaurus

We had the card system at work for several years, and it suddenly disappeared. We are all back on coins and currency.

It was strange - the employee base is several thousand people and probably 20 or so vending machines.

I am sure it is all serviced by a third party. For whatever reason, they found it cheaper to use cash.

Flatwoods

I hate vending machine food but I would eat that before drinking vending machine coffee. ( Trust me on this one.)

CaptHenway

Any fans of "Futurama" on here?

You know what happens when you eat space truck stop vending machine sandwiches!!!!

scottgardener

They stopped clunking coins in Las Vegas casinos some time between 2002 and 2004, switching to an annoying paper-based system instead. There was a time when coins were money. Today they are what you get in change after spending money. Soon, they'll be novelties sold only in proof and uncirculated sets--except pennies, which will still be minted seven billion years from now when the sun engulfs the Earth.

drwstr123

<< <i>Any fans of "Futurama" on here?

You know what happens when you eat space truck stop vending machine sandwiches!!!!

>>


Kiss my shiny metal.....

pruebas

<< <i>I always find it amusing when someone states that " "____________s" are the root of all evil" [for example coins, guns, knives, SUVs, drugs, etc.].

Idiots.

The idea that an inanimate object is "good" or "evil" in and of itself is ludicrous. Human intervention and use of the inanimate object is what is required before "good" or "evil" arise.

In the absence of human intervention none of the "objects" will do anything. The SUV will not operate and travel down the road, the gun will not fire, the knife will not cut, the drug will not be consumed. >>

You seriously expect a vending machine installer to understand this?

Give him credit, he said the coins were the "root" (=basis) of evil, not the coins themselves are evil.

sumnom

<< <i>They stopped clunking coins in Las Vegas casinos some time between 2002 and 2004, switching to an annoying paper-based system instead. There was a time when coins were money. Today they are what you get in change after spending money. Soon, they'll be novelties sold only in proof and uncirculated sets--except pennies, which will still be minted seven billion years from now when the sun engulfs the Earth. >>



The Mint will have moved it cent presses to another solar system by the time the sun engulfs the earth in order to ensure no drop in production.

CaptHenway

I had hoped that with the retirement of the Kennedy family from Congress their protection of the one dollar bill paper making industry might allow us to discontinue the single and start using dollar coins. That would be the cue to discontinue the cent to make room for the dollar coin.
Sigh.

RichieURich

As I always say, "Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine."

dsessom

I'd stick change into the vending card slot just to make a point.

JamesMurray

<< <i>I'd stick change into the vending card slot just to make a point. >>



Management could very well also make a point , by removing said machines.Colleques depending on those machines might also have a point to make.

MajorDuty

<< <i>Baley, you can put in cash only too for your purchases... >>



Oops. I erroneously reported you could use cash for purchases. Since there are no coins (and they are the root of all evil ;-) ) that statement makes no sense unless every item is an even dollar.

You may use cash to load your card only.

Still haven't used the machine. I avoid the cameras too.

ColonelJessup

<< <i>Coins are the root of all evils?? That's news to me.......

Vending machine food suuuucks - I'd probably bring my own food. If a customer, I'd rather have the card operated machines, assuming they are reliable. >>



In Japan they sell sushi on the subways. In China crab and other victuals. They do enough business at the locations chosen to reload with fresh product every few hours. It's fresh. Whether it sucks or not I can't say. LOL, in Swiss airports they sell gold ingots. Can't expectless in Dubai. etc, etc, etc.....

I don't know if they use coins or credit cards.