[iand675]

The odd thing to me about Japan's vending machine situation is that it's largely drinks. Not much in the way of the snack vending machines that one frequently encounters in the U.S.

I suppose it's probably due to the Japanese aversion to preservatives / prevalence of convenience stores, but one would think they'd have come up with some tricks like the ones they've perfected with cup noodles.

[batiudrami]

Walking while eating is considered impolite which is why I suspect vending machine food never took off. Just a cultural thing I think.

[popcorncolonel]

Then again drinking while eating is also impolite.

[addedlovely]

I remember also getting vended fries, but hot and cold drinks alone blew my mind coming from the U.K.

[iand675]

Yeah, there are fresh food vending machines around in a few places... notably in government offices like city hall or ward offices where you might have to wait for a while.

[bdowling]

More common are the vending machines that will sell you a ticket for a meal, which you then hand to the person who will make your food and give it to you.

I'm not certain if that scheme is done for fraud prevention, or if it is done for convenience in order to have fewer employees.

[bsder]

> I'm not certain if that scheme is done for fraud prevention, or if it is done for convenience in order to have fewer employees.

Well, it sure stops both the indecisive idiots and the morons who can't unweld themselves from their phone.

One of my favorite moments was at a Superdawg in Chicago Midway. The standard, high-maintenance indecisive Californian was at the head of the line: "Well, I don't know. Maybe the <blah> but ..."

The enormous lady at the counter brandished a HOLY GODDAMN FUCKING HUGE ladle right under the Californian's nose with a relatively normal volume, but forceful, "Look, ah gots payin' customers lined up. Git outta da line, and come back when ya know what the hell ya want. NEXT!"

I guess you don't have to really shout when you wave around a ladle that big.

It brought tears of joy to my eyes. I wish customer service would do this more often.

[megaman22]

Man, I would love to do that in the middle of about three quarters of the conference calls I've been on.

"No soup for you!"

[Chris2048]

They need to start a chess clock when it's your turn.

[kw71]

It prevents the employees from handling cash

[aikinai]

Soups seem to be pretty common in the winter. One time I had a hot corn soup from a vending machine somewhere out in the mountains.

[oculusthrift]

some train stations have banana vending machines