# Bonus from the snack machine: what to do? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 16, 2013, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bonus-from-the-snack-machine-what-to-do/671415 "2013-10-16T17:47:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2013, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bonus-from-the-snack-machine-what-to-do/671415/21 "2013-10-16T19:13:55Z")
Couple of weeks ago, I put $1.50 into the soda machine in the work lunchroom, and was rewarded with my 20 oz. Diet Dew and TWO 20 oz. Pepsi Colas. I offered the extras around the lunch room. One person accepted one, and I drank the other myself. Last week, when the same machine stole a buck from me, I declined to put in for a refund. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2013, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bonus-from-the-snack-machine-what-to-do/671415/22 "2013-10-16T19:17:40Z")
Take it. The damn machine made you buy two bars when you only wanted one. Consider it a buy two get one free deal. And the third bar might have been hanging there because the machine ripped off someone else. ---
**Author:** ![Sudden\_Kestrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Sudden\_Kestrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sudden_Kestrel)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2013, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bonus-from-the-snack-machine-what-to-do/671415/23 "2013-10-16T19:51:48Z")
I’d take the candy. It all evens out over your lifetime. Besides, Mr. Goodbars are tasty. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2013, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bonus-from-the-snack-machine-what-to-do/671415/24 "2013-10-17T03:14:34Z")
Curse my weird memory, but didn’t Archie and Meathead get into it over a similar situation? A malfunctioning payphone, maybe? ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2013, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bonus-from-the-snack-machine-what-to-do/671415/25 "2013-10-17T03:31:14Z")
Something else: Take it, and stop using that vending machine. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2013, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bonus-from-the-snack-machine-what-to-do/671415/26 "2013-10-17T03:46:05Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > I figure the only reason the Mr. Goodbar fell out was because someone had tried to buy it earlier but it hung on like the OP’s chips. > [@Voyager](#): > > And the third bar might have been hanging there because the machine ripped off someone else. Actually, it seems I had given the machine a good enough shake that the Mr. Goodbar, being thin, just slid out of its coil, so there was an empty coil at the front of the Mr. Goodbar slot. I suppose the most ethical thing to do would have been to put in another 75 cents and advanced that coil forward, but I didn’t have any more money. If someone _really_ needs a Mr. Goodbar, there are a dozen other machines in the building they can use until the vending machine guy comes to refill them and rectifies the issue with the one I got the freebie from. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2013, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bonus-from-the-snack-machine-what-to-do/671415/27 "2013-10-17T03:53:01Z")
I voted take it, but if it was something I didn’t like that dropped, I would take it and give it away. I’m not inclined to just leave it there. ---
**Author:** ![Becky2844](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Becky2844](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Becky2844)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2013, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bonus-from-the-snack-machine-what-to-do/671415/28 "2013-10-17T04:17:07Z")
Take the candy bar. If it makes you feel more Zen, leave a Thanks! post-it on the glass. ---
**Author:** ![chizzuk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@chizzuk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chizzuk)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2013, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bonus-from-the-snack-machine-what-to-do/671415/29 "2013-10-17T04:59:15Z")
I would take it and eat it. The only exceptions to this would be if I didn’t like it, in which case I’d give it away, or if I knew for a fact that 2 items had come out because someone else’s had gotten stuck. In that case, if I knew who had tried to buy it (say they’d been going around bitching about the machine eating their money or something) I’d track them down and give it to them. ---
**Author:** ![Kenm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bc79bd/32.png) [@Kenm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kenm)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2013, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bonus-from-the-snack-machine-what-to-do/671415/30 "2013-10-17T05:08:14Z")
I’d have visited the local chapter of the Moral Majority to inform it of the chocolate bar’s filthy double entendre name, and to persuade the Moral Majority to launch a campaign to change the bar’s name. But first I would have eaten it to more easily dispose of the wrapper before any children saw it. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2013, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bonus-from-the-snack-machine-what-to-do/671415/31 "2013-10-17T05:42:50Z")
Take it. On average, I’ve probably lost more from vending machines than the rare times I’ve come out ahead. This is a small step toward breaking even. ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2013, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bonus-from-the-snack-machine-what-to-do/671415/32 "2013-10-17T05:54:14Z")
80% take it 20% give it away voted ‘other’ ---
**Author:** ![Sahirrnee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sahirrnee/32/13937_2.png) [@Sahirrnee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sahirrnee)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2013, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bonus-from-the-snack-machine-what-to-do/671415/33 "2013-10-17T11:10:25Z")
Keep it. When Fate throws a gift in your lap it’s bad manners to toss it back. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2013, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bonus-from-the-snack-machine-what-to-do/671415/34 "2013-10-17T11:29:19Z")
> [@MeanOldLady](#): > > Take the goddamn candy bar, Jesus Christ. Word for word what I was gonna say. Fuck, you’re not sticking up a liquor store here. Now MOL, get outa my head. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2013, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bonus-from-the-snack-machine-what-to-do/671415/35 "2013-10-17T13:11:37Z")
Another ditto for **MOL**. This reminds me of that old Gomer Pyle episode where he got he mistakenly got $2 extra on his paycheck. Gomer, being the honest gent that he is, wanted to give it back. But of course the whole effort turned out to be more trouble than it was worth. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2013, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bonus-from-the-snack-machine-what-to-do/671415/36 "2013-10-17T13:12:16Z")
Take it. In my experience with the same vending machines over a long period of time, they’ll screw you out of your money at least as often, if not more often than they’ll cough up a bonus. Over time, it sort of evens out if you take the bonus (you still usually end up in the red though). ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2013, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bonus-from-the-snack-machine-what-to-do/671415/37 "2013-10-17T13:52:07Z")
Say, that reminds me - I have a free bag of baked Lays in my desk drawer from just such an occasion. Not that I like baked Lays, or should be eating chips at 9:51am, but I missed breakfast. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2013, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bonus-from-the-snack-machine-what-to-do/671415/38 "2013-10-17T14:28:59Z")
Take it. It makes up for the times you put money and and get nothing in return. ---
**Author:** ![Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angel_of_the_lord/32/2949_2.png) [@Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angel_of_the_Lord)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2013, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bonus-from-the-snack-machine-what-to-do/671415/39 "2013-10-17T15:54:19Z")
If I like it, I’ll take it. If I don’t like it–which is most stuff in vending machines, to be honest–I’ll leave it for the next lucky person to find. ---
**Author:** ![Zyanthia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Zyanthia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyanthia)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2013, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bonus-from-the-snack-machine-what-to-do/671415/40 "2013-10-17T16:39:19Z")
Our vending machine has little envelopes we can put on the vending machine and a reason why we think we are due a refund. When this happened to me, I taped the candy bar to the envelope and wrote on the envelope that an extra candy bar dropped and taped them together at the same spot as the refund requests. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bonus-from-the-snack-machine-what-to-do/671415.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bonus-from-the-snack-machine-what-to-do/671415.md?page=3)