Junk food. Soda. In some cases, more creative vending machines have even been known to dispense coffee, cup of noodles, and ice cream. However, after reading this post on Guest of a Guest about an innovative machine that doles out post-partying ballet flats (which would have been a lifesaver the night we decided it was okay to walk barefoot through Times Square), we thought we’d see what other crazy vending machines we could find.
Brace yourselves. It’s not pretty.
10. Socks– You may be asking, “Why socks?” Well, remember the last time you went bowling? And forgot to bring them? If that bowling alley, like many across America, had stocked socks in one of these handy vending machines, then it’s likely your feet would have been a lot less itchy the next day.
9. Flowers- This is a good concept, but when’s the last time you picked up someone at the airport and brought them flowers? And how long have those been in there anyway???
8. Cigarettes– Okay, maybe not so weird in most of the world, but here in America, a cigarette vending machine seems kind of, well, crazy. In Japan, they’ve developed a vending machine that scans customers’ faces for wrinkles and skin sags to verify they’re old enough to buy a pack.
And, in that same vein, we have…
7. Beer– Self explanatory. This one would be a goldmine on US college campuses, and could possibly solve some of those funding crises they’ve been having of late.
6. Condoms– Machines dispensing these babies are becoming quite popular on the aforementioned college campuses all over America. We like the convenience factor, but we can only imagine what our moms would have said.
5. Marijuana– That’s right. If you live in LA, you can now purchase your weed directly from a vending machine. With a prescription. (Don’t get any funny ideas; the machines are protected by 24-hour security guards.)
4. Lobsters– Yes, in Japan, you can purchase live lobsters from a vending machine. And you can even pick out which one you want, using a claw, just like at the arcade. (We’re not sure what happens if you drop said lobster.)
Only slightly more disturbing is…
3. Sushi– Let’s just be honest here. We don’t care how “fresh” you claim it is, we do not foresee ourselves purchasing raw fish from a vending machine. Ever.
2. Sex Toys– This one’s a doozy. Made by a company called Tabooboo (which seems to have a monopoly on the sex toy vending machine market), it sells items in several categories, including: Tabooboo Toys, Love Liquids, Leather Accessories, Underwear, and Gifts & Games. Yum.
And finally…
1. Used Schoolgirl Panties– Yes, the rumors are true. There are vending machines in Japan that sell what are, purportedly, “used” schoolgirl underwear. Although this is massively disturbing, and definitely hits a 100 on the creeper scale, the wow factor rocketed it up to the number one spot on our list. But, in all honesty, who buys these?!