The Pro & Cons of Vending Machines

You have to admit, $3 for a 50 cent bag of chips is pushing it. crunchy potato snack image by Shirley Hirst from Fotolia.com

Vending machines. To some, they're a godsend, popping up at just the right time during a break between classes or a long night on the road without a bite to eat. To others, they're a malevolent, money-sucking demon, taunting you with high prices and the ever-present possibility of the dreaded "stuck snack." The pros and cons of vending machines are almost countless.

Pro: Convenince

Vending machines are typically found in pairs, offering both food and drink to anyone with a couple bucks to spare. If one's close by and you're on a tight schedule, your only other choice might be to wait it out and starve, and everyone knows how terrible it is working on an empty stomach.

Con: Cost

While this isn't some universal truth for all vending machines, many offer unhealthy snacks at a high price. What was once a 50-cent bag of potato chips now costs $1. What was once a 75-cent candy bar now costs a buck-fifty. Inflation is a hefty price to pay for the convenience. Not to mention there's a chance the food will get stuck on its way out of the machine. You're taking a gamble each time you use a vending machine.

Pro: Jobs

Vending machines aren't some magical creation, strewn about the earth by angels hoping to keep the world's belly full of pastries, chocolate and trail mix. Vending machines are a business. People need to refill the machine, take the money from its depository and keep it well maintained. This provides jobs and helps people provide for their families.

Con: Lack of Healthy Options

According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, "A nationwide survey of vending machines in middle schools and high schools finds that 75 percent of the drinks and 85 percent of the snacks sold are of poor nutritional value." This means that almost nine out of 10 snacks in vending machines do you little good. While healthy alternatives are progressively being added to vending machines, it's difficult to believe that an apple holds up as well as a Twinkie dated to expire four years from when it was put in the machine.

The Verdict

Even though vending machines have a number pros and cons, they don't seem to be going anywhere. Because of the cost and lack of healthy options, some people may want to consider holding out until they can find another place to score some grub instead of resorting to vending machines. As for everyone else, just pray you have enough quarters to buy that pack of Swedish Fish above the corn chips so you can knock the stuck bag you purchased down into the receptacle.

References

• CSPI: School Vending Machines "Dispensing Junk"
• HealthySD: Pros and Cons of Vending Machines
• Vending Machine Business: Pros and Cons