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The earliest form of a vending machine was a holy water dispenser in 215 B.C.
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In the 1800s the first commercial machines were invented in London to dispense books and to dispense post cards.
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Around this time, New York City joined the movement by making vending machines to sell gum in the subways.
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A restaurant called Horn and Hardart was introduced in Philadelphia and was coin operated.
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Coca-Cola introduced their first vending machine offering chilled soda and many other soda machines soon followed. After this, as well, came coffee machines, and other kinds of machines.
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The first ever coffee vending machine was set up.
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Around this time, vending machines selling life insurance policies were set up in American Airports in case of a plane crash. However, these machines only lasted two decades or so.
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In 1961, vending machines offering canned soda came onto the market. Shortly after this, soft drink machines like the ones you see today at fast food restaurants came about.
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In 1972, Polyvend innovated the first glass front vending machine for snacks.
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In 1987, the first vending machine that could vend frozen food was created.
