Calorie Counts on Vending Machines

No Comments | Written on February 1, 2012 at 1:00 pm, by Lesley Kennedy

VendScreen Rarely a day goes by that we’re not struck by the late-afternoon sugar slump. And in that time of desperation the office vending machine becomes our work BFF.

Who cares how many calories are in those sodas, crackers, candy bars, and chips? . . . . Hello, old friend. It’s so very nice to see you again. Of course, moments after we destroy that bag of mini donuts, snack pack of Fritos or packet of Pop-Tarts, we turn on you for the calorie fest our desk-bound rear-ends seriously did not need. And you call yourselves our friend. Harumph.

Which is why, in the interest of saving our relationship, we hope our building installs the VendScreen. USA Today reports the new touch-screen vending machine technology will display the nutritional info on everything inside.

This could be great news, not only for the success of our diet plans, but for the vending machine industry, too. According to the newspaper, federal regulations will soon require calorie counts to be displayed by operators who have 20 machines or more.

The company has already pre-sold 10,000 machines and plans on testing 500 more this spring, USA Today reports.

Oh, and this is pretty cool: VendScreen is also able to take credit cards, debit cards, and mobile wallet money, lets you use coupon codes and alerts the operator when the microwave popcorn or other products are sold out or something isn’t working right, the newspaper adds.

Sound too high-tech for you when all you want is a Coke Zero and a Snickers before your last meeting of the day? Not to worry.

“You literally still walk up, put your buck in and press A1 to get your Cheetos,” VendScreen founder Paresh Patel tells USA Today. “There was really an opportunity from an operator standpoint to improve that experience and improve sales.”

And, hey, if having that calorie at our fingertips leads us to choose the healthy granola bar over the super-size bag of Doritos? That sounds like an opportunity worth taking, now, doesn’t it? Plus, we get to keep our friends.