The Once-Popular Old School Type Of Vending Machine That's Still Going Strong In Japan

Before there was a Starbucks on every corner, time-crunched Americans could get a quick caffeine fix straight from their office vending machines. But nowadays, coffee vending machines offering piping hot cups of joe are a bit harder to come by in the United States. I did happen upon one of these old school machines years ago at a Florida rest stop but haven't seen another since. The coffee wasn't great by any means, but the novel experience was well worth the cash.

When it comes to ultra-convenient coffee, Japan has got the United States beat. The country is home to the most vending machines per capita, with approximately 4 million vending machines and 122 million people. That's about one vending machine for every 30 people in Japan. 

The first vending machine to produce hot cups of coffee on demand was invented in Philadelphia in 1946 by K. Cyrus Melikian and Lloyd K. Rudd — they called the machine the Kwik-Kafe. But it was Japan that pioneered the canned coffee that became a vending machine staple. Canned coffee products, made by UCC, hit the market in 1969 after founder Ueshima Tadao was inspired to create a solution for taking coffee on his daily train commute.

In 1973, the Japanese company Pokka introduced a vending machine that could offer both hot and cold canned coffees, and the rest is history. Today, the number one best-selling canned coffee in Japan is Boss Coffee, a brand that has its own vending machines for both hot and cold drinks. You can find UCC, Boss, and other popular canned coffee brands like Georgia, Kirin Fire, and Asahi Wonda in many of Japan's vending machines. 

The success of coffee vending machines in Japan is due in part to the country's low crime rate – machines are rarely stolen from. If you've heard anything about Japanese convenience stores, you also know that the country takes easy access to quality food to a whole other level. Vending machines of all kinds are an integral part of Japanese culture. You can find them everywhere, from dense, bustling cities to idyllic countrysides. There's even a park full of retro vending machines in Sagamihara, Japan, and an anime about a man who is reincarnated as a vending machine.

Having a quick and easy option for grabbing a hot coffee or store-bought cold brew is perfect for a place with a fast-paced work culture and low tolerance for social interactions. Perhaps the American equivalent is just mobile-ordering coffee from an app and silently picking it up from the counter. Coffee vending machines in Japan also fill in the gaps due to labor shortages, and their popularity was bolstered by the Covid-19 pandemic. They are even used to aid in disaster relief. Some vending machines are programmed to provide people with free food and beverages in the event of a natural disaster.