# full can or bottle in a bottle return mach. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 17, 2000, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/full-can-or-bottle-in-a-bottle-return-mach/33484 "2000-09-17T12:10:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2000, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/full-can-or-bottle-in-a-bottle-return-mach/33484/1 "2000-09-17T12:10:49Z")
Always wanted to know, what if I am a nickle short of getting my can of tuna, could I expect to get one by taking a full bottle (or can) of soda w/ the $0.05 (remember typewriters - they had a cents key,why can we ☹ ) deposit and stick it in a machine??? Never wanted to mess up a machine, just want to know if it would work ---
**Author:** ![Grimhacker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e495f1/32.png) [@Grimhacker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grimhacker)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2000, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/full-can-or-bottle-in-a-bottle-return-mach/33484/2 "2000-09-17T12:12:24Z")
That was the most nonsensical Post title I ever seen…I’m still trying to wrap my head around it…be back later to reply when I figure it out. Damn hangovers ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Commander\_Fortune](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Commander\_Fortune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Commander_Fortune)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2000, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/full-can-or-bottle-in-a-bottle-return-mach/33484/3 "2000-09-17T12:30:45Z")
I don’t understand the OP either… What machine are you asking about? ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2000, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/full-can-or-bottle-in-a-bottle-return-mach/33484/4 "2000-09-17T12:33:50Z")
sorry, the machine is a bottle return machine. It is used in states that have deposit return laws on carbonated drinks. you put your empty can(s) in and money or a paper receipt comes out. ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2000, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/full-can-or-bottle-in-a-bottle-return-mach/33484/5 "2000-09-17T16:16:50Z")
And for those unfamiliar with the machines, they automatically crush or smash the cans or bottles. So putting in a full one is problematical. You have to figure though, that they’ve thought of that. So either the machines have drains, or can somehow detect the weight of the can. ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2000, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/full-can-or-bottle-in-a-bottle-return-mach/33484/6 "2000-09-17T16:20:39Z")
I would probably chug the beer first, then put the can in. Or at the very least dump out the diet soda. I would never have considered putting a full one into the machine. ---
**Author:** ![screech-owl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@screech-owl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/screech-owl)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2000, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/full-can-or-bottle-in-a-bottle-return-mach/33484/7 "2000-09-17T19:46:30Z")
…except it actually gave you back a nickel for each car. The machine had a mechanism (a scale of some sort) that would prevent the machine from operating if the can was heavy/full. No drain - most of the bottom of the machine was the catchbin. Big problem with critters, though. [I asked this ‘full can’ question of the guy who emptied and fixed the machines; he was there almost daily - evidently my college peers would get torqued off because the machine would not accept their can for refund (it would read the bar code {Coke & Pepsi products only, no beer products (ironic on a college campus back then)}, then crush the can, drop the can into a holding bin, and then spit out the nickel – sometimes you would have to spend an annoying couple minutes twisting and turning the can so the scanner could read the barcode). If the machine would not accept the can, they would take out their frustrations on the machine by kicking and beating it, knocking the mechanism out of place, then it wouldn’t take ANYONE’s can. They finally removed the machines. Ah, maturity.]