It’s likely you have probably never thought about the history of the vending machine. If you had you would have found the history to be surprisingly fascinating. The next time you stop at a vending machine and purchase your favourite snack, cold drink or coffee you'll remember that even a vending machine is full of history.

Vending machines and vending services and sales were offered commercially in the United States in 1888. These vending machines were first introduced by the Thomas Adams Gum Company, whose owners were of course interested in taking advantage of vending machines for selling their gum.

Vending machines provided everything from sweets and drinks to books. Then in 1889 came the advent of the juke box, which like vending machines had a variety of predecessors. One of the earliest forerunners to the juke box was the nickel-in-the slot machine, which was invented by Louis Glass and Willam S. Arnold. This machine was actually a phonograph, which would play a recording through sound or listening tubes when a coin was inserted into the apparatus.