That cursed vending machine at my warehouse stole $4.50 from me last Thursday

So I'm working my usual shift at the warehouse, right? And I go to the vending machine in the break room around 2pm because I forgot my lunch. I put in $3 for a bag of chips and a soda, punch the buttons, and nothing happens. No drop, no noise, just silence. I'm standing there staring at it like an idiot for a good 30 seconds. Then I try again with another $1.50 because I'm stubborn and think maybe I messed up the first time. Same thing - machine eats my money, gives me nothing. I'm literally about to kick it when my coworker Dave walks in and says 'oh yeah, that one's been broken since Tuesday, you gotta use the one by the loading dock.' Why is there no sign on it? Why does nobody tell anyone? Now I'm out $4.50 and hangry. Has anyone else dealt with a machine that just silently steals your cash?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_jake19d ago

Call the number on the front of the machine. Most of those companies reimburse you if you tell them the time and what happened. I got my money back from a broken one at a gas station that way.

the_simon19d ago

Yeah but is a couple of bucks really worth jumping through all those hoops? Calling some random number, explaining the whole thing, waiting on hold. Seems like more hassle than it's worth for most people.

rose_reed19d ago

Four dollars and fifty cents? Man, that stinks, but like @the_jake said, you can probably get it back from the company. Still, is it really worth all that effort for a couple of bucks? You gotta call some number, sit on hold for ten minutes, explain the whole thing to someone who probably doesn't care, and then wait for a check in the mail? That sounds like a whole evening wasted for the price of a fast food meal. I'd just write it off as a lesson learned and start checking the machine with a dollar first next time. Better to lose a single dollar than four and a half, if you ask me.