# Why can’t they invent a vending machine that works? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 28, 2016, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-can-t-they-invent-a-vending-machine-that-works/773315 "2016-11-28T19:50:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2016, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-can-t-they-invent-a-vending-machine-that-works/773315/41 "2016-11-29T19:53:39Z")
to put it into perspective, Japan doesn’t even issue bills smaller than 1000 yen (roughly 10 USD,) everything below that is coin. ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2016, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-can-t-they-invent-a-vending-machine-that-works/773315/42 "2016-11-29T23:40:31Z")
I used to work at a place that had a soda machine that would reject bills that were too crisp and smooth. Honest to God, after it rejected the bill 2 or 3 times you would wad it up, straighten it back out and the machine would take it. Never experienced that anywhere else. The place I work now (a mid size factory) eliminated vending machines and replaced it with a mini convenience store type setup that relies on the honor system. You can’t pay with cash. Scan the items and then scan a company supplied card. You can add credit to your card with cash, however. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2016, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-can-t-they-invent-a-vending-machine-that-works/773315/43 "2016-11-29T23:51:42Z")
> [@River\_Hippie](#): > > I used to work at a place that had a soda machine that would reject bills that were too crisp and smooth. Honest to God, after it rejected the bill 2 or 3 times you would wad it up, straighten it back out and the machine would take it. Never experienced that anywhere else. Oh, I believe you. I’ve had the same issue with new bills in vending machines (as it appears **pkbites** has as well.) ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2016, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-can-t-they-invent-a-vending-machine-that-works/773315/44 "2016-11-29T23:56:27Z")
> [@MikeS](#): > > The two that stand out are South Korea, where the 1000-won note is worth substantially less than 1 USD; and Mexico, where the 20-peso note is worth a little less than 1 USD. (Note, though, that the Mexican peso fell in value after the US presidential election; before the election, 20 pesos were worth slightly more than a US dollar.) There are also a few others (Chile, Hungary, and Turkey) where the smallest bill is worth less than 2 US dollars. > \ Philippines has a 20 peso note, worth about $0.60 US ---
**Author:** ![ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chockfullofheadygoodness/32/511_2.png) [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-can-t-they-invent-a-vending-machine-that-works/773315/45 "2016-11-30T00:12:00Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I wish the US would get with the times and completely phase out the dollar bill (I really do not understand why people like these things) > [@LSLGuy](#): > > Or since it was mostly $1s and I was young, the titty bars. 🙂 Asked and answered 😛 How would one tip in those establishments if the $1 bill were eliminated? Would $5 become the standard tip? (Maybe it already has - I haven’t been in one since the early 90s) Strap a NFC reader to the garter belt? ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-can-t-they-invent-a-vending-machine-that-works/773315/46 "2016-11-30T00:17:37Z")
> [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](#): > > Asked and answered 😛 > > How would one tip in those establishments if the $1 bill were eliminated? Would $5 become the standard tip? (Maybe it already has - I haven’t been in one since the early 90s) Strap a NFC reader to the garter belt? Run a credit card through the slot. NO, NOT THAT SLOT! :smack: ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-can-t-they-invent-a-vending-machine-that-works/773315/47 "2016-11-30T00:24:35Z")
> [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](#): > > Asked and answered 😛 > > How would one tip in those establishments if the $1 bill were eliminated? Would $5 become the standard tip? (Maybe it already has - I haven’t been in one since the early 90s) Strap a NFC reader to the garter belt? I thought that’s what $2 bills were for. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![JpnDude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/838e76/32.png) [@JpnDude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JpnDude)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-can-t-they-invent-a-vending-machine-that-works/773315/48 "2016-11-30T05:26:45Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > to put it into perspective, Japan doesn’t even issue bills smaller than 1000 yen (roughly 10 USD,) everything below that is coin. And in my personal experience, I’ve never had trouble inserting yen bills into various types of vending machines here. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-can-t-they-invent-a-vending-machine-that-works/773315/49 "2016-11-30T15:03:54Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > Run a credit card through the slot. > > NO, NOT THAT SLOT! :smack: I recall getting an umpteen-generation forwarded email joke. It started with a overwrought prose warning about a new credit card skimming device that will take all your money, ruin your credit, and cause just endless trouble. And which is everywhere, everywhere I tell you! BE CAREFUL!!! The punch line being a pic of some guy sliding their credit card through a particularly nubile “that slot”. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-can-t-they-invent-a-vending-machine-that-works/773315/50 "2016-11-30T15:51:57Z")
> [@JpnDude](#): > > And in my personal experience, I’ve never had trouble inserting yen bills into various types of vending machines here. 🆒 From my experience living in both countries, US bills (especially $1 bills) in circulation tend to be in much worse condition than Japanese bills. ---
**Author:** ![skdo23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@skdo23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skdo23)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-can-t-they-invent-a-vending-machine-that-works/773315/51 "2016-11-30T22:44:13Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > What **yabob** said. I franking _hate_ coins and refuse to accept or use dollar coins in any fashion. Switch to polymer bills and make them down to $.25. I’ll use a dollar coin when someone presses one into my cold dead hands. ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2016, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-can-t-they-invent-a-vending-machine-that-works/773315/52 "2016-12-01T00:41:44Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > Easiest fix would be to make the damn things accept dollar coins. So much easier than bill readers. That’s the main reason I carry dollar coins – the vending machines at work. (None of which accept cards, by the way.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-can-t-they-invent-a-vending-machine-that-works/773315.md?page=2)