Q 01/05

Which soft-drink company asked the US Treasury in 1953 to mint a 7.5-cent coin for vending machines?

A) Pepsi-Cola

B) Dr Pepper

C) Royal Crown

D) Coca-Cola

Answer · why

D) Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola was stuck at five cents because its machines took a single coin and could not give change. Doubling the price to a dime was too big a jump, ...

Q 02/05

Slot machine reels show fruit because early models had a vending attachment for which fruit-flavoured product?

A) Chewing gum

B) Boiled sweets

C) Soda water

D) Cough drops

Answer · why

A) Chewing gum

Chewing gum of the Bell-Fruit brand was pictured on the reels too, as a single stick. The cherries, lemons, oranges and plums matched the flavours on ...

Q 03/05

From the 1950s to the 1970s, vending machines in American airports sold travellers which product before a flight?

A) Sleeping tablets

B) Travel sickness pills

C) Life insurance

D) Prayer cards

Answer · why

C) Life insurance

Life insurance policies from the machines paid out if the buyer's plane crashed. They faded away as American courts kept interpreting the small print ...

Q 04/05

A vending machine installed in the lobby of Abu Dhabi's Emirates Palace hotel became famous for dispensing what?

A) Diamond rings

B) Gold bars

C) Swiss watches

D) Pearl necklaces

Answer · why

B) Gold bars

Gold bars of 10 grams came out of a machine that was itself covered in gold leaf. Its prices followed the market, updated over an encrypted internet l...

Q 05/05

Which online used-car retailer opened a coin-operated 'car vending machine' tower in Nashville in 2015?

A) Carvana

B) CarMax

C) Vroom

D) AutoNation

Answer · why

A) Carvana

Carvana gives buyers a commemorative coin to set the fully automated tower going. Its first car vending machine had opened in Atlanta in 2013.