The Perfect Vending Machine Snacks List

Snacks, beverages & full meals

Vending machines have always been a convenient way to get food on the go, but they’re also exceptionally popular. Roughly 10 million adults buy snacks and beverages from machines on any given day. With so much attention, the latest machines don’t just tide us over—they provide hot coffees, cold treats and even nutritious dinners!

Stocking these machines correctly can satisfy cravings from quick bites to full meals. Here are the tips that can help you design the perfect vending machine snacks list.

Plan your vending machine snacks list

Before buying anything, take some time to consider which foods appeal to your customers. You likely have their market data available for your core business—review this information and note any dietary preferences.

You can also try surveying visitors directly to learn more about their favorite foods. This approach is also a great way to identify what customers don’t like along with any common allergies you might want to avoid.

In the planning stage, don’t feel limited to stocking your machine with salty or sugary snacks. Today’s vending machines support all kinds of food groups, including health foods, specialty drinks and full meals. By painting a complete picture of what your customers enjoy, you’ll have a better idea of what items will drive vending machine orders.

Remember that you also don’t need to limit yourself to customers—employees are as likely to buy food from vending machines as anyone. If you poll employees on both vending machine food ideas and observations on customer preferences, you can learn a great deal about what sells.

As you assemble your vending machine snacks list, think about how often you’ll need to restock. You can afford to let snacks with distant expiration dates stay in place for a month or more. Meals that expire quickly—such as fresh fruits, vegetables and meat products—may need to be replaced weekly, if not daily.

Along with the restocking logistics, understanding expiration dates can also help you assign fair prices, meet customer demand and determine which items are worth restocking.

Quick bites & sugary treats

So what vending machine food is the most popular? Traditional fare such as soda, chips and chocolate bars continue to sell well, but there is growing interest in diverse options. Modern machines use specialized equipment to prepare tea, mix up fresh smoothies or cook an entire chicken dinner. It’s worth looking at the full range of options to determine what customers will appreciate most, starting with classic snacks.

1. Chocolate bars

While vending machines now offer a variety of food items, the top purchases are still snacks—particularly chocolate bars. While precise favorites vary by region, Snickers are one of the most popular choices. 

2. Chips & pretzels

When you don’t feel like having chocolate, salty foods can be a satisfying alternative. Potato chips nicely fit this role and remain one of the most popular vending machine purchases. Bagged items like pretzels and cheese snacks are good alternatives.

3. Candies

Outside of chocolate bars and potato chips, there are any number of miscellaneous candies. These can include hard candies, gums and chocolate-covered treats.

4. Granola bars

Granola bars rank in the top ten snack foods available in vending machines, albeit well behind chocolate bars and chips. Depending on the brand, granola bars can be a surprisingly healthy alternative to sugary and salty snacks.

Hot refreshments & cold thirst-quenchers

At one time, the most common vending machine drinks were soda, juice and water. While those remain top-sellers, customers have even more choices at their fingertips.

1. Soda

Carbonated soft drinks remain the drink of choice for an overwhelming majority of vending machines. While that’s unlikely to change, demand for other options is on the rise among customers. Including soda is a good idea, but don’t be afraid to leave space for other items on this list.

2. Coffee & tea

Hot drink vending machines can be a promising alternative to traditional refrigerated selections. Coffee is an excellent choice for employees or commuters, especially if it means avoiding lengthy lines at a local drive-through. Teas also come in an enormous variety of flavors and can be enjoyed at any time of day. Just remember to include caffeinated and non-caffeinated options for both beverages to cast a wider net for customers.

3. Energy & sports drinks

Energy drinks simulate many of the effects of caffeine and sugar, making them a refreshing choice for customers who dislike the taste of coffee. However, don’t feel limited solely to energy-based brands. Traditional sports drinks, for example, help refresh electrolyte levels while keeping customers hydrated throughout the day.

4. Smoothies

Smoothies typically require dedicated machines separate from cold and hot devices, but they have immense appeal. A cold smoothie tastes refreshing on a hot day, and machines can feature a variety of fruit and vegetable blends. If the smoothie is densely packed with protein and nutrients, it can even act as a meal replacer. With the right promotions, these vending machines can succeed at retail storefronts, fitness centers and everywhere in between.

Fully cooked meals, on the go

Vending machine foods can be more than refreshments and snacks—some include entire meals! These machines stock pre-packaged meals with automatic heating options that are ready to eat after purchase. Each meal can be stored for a few days before it needs to be replaced, but machines that offer lunch and dinner options can perform well in high-traffic areas.

By providing a combination of lunch and dinner options on your vending machine snacks list, customers can enjoy:

1. Full-course meals

Sometimes when you buy a meal from a vending machine, you receive a full-course meal. These machines offer various combinations of traditional protein, starch and vegetable dishes. For example, one meal could pair chicken with rice and broccoli, while another offers meatloaf, potatoes and carrots. These dishes can also include plant-based alternatives for vegans and vegetarians.

2. Pastas

Sometimes, all customers want is a meal-sized serving of their favorite pasta. Spaghetti, penne and lasagne are all popular choices that customers—and business owners—can rely on.

3. Food bowls

Food bowls, such as Buddha or taco bowls, are an excellent meal category for vending machines. These single-dish meals are filling, convenient and just the right size for pick-up while walking. Meal-sized salads, stir-fries with vegetables and taco bowls that bypass wraps and shells entirely can all be popular choices with the right customer base.

4. Soups

It’s hard to go wrong with a good soup—they’re easy to produce, filling and often highly nutritious. Whether your preference is chicken or lentil soup, each option can be equally uplifting during hot and cold days.

As with smoothies, soup often requires a specialized vending machine. A touchscreen interface provides a way to browse soup, which is heated and served upon payment.

Let Walmart Business stock your vending trays

Now that you have your machine and list, it’s time to order wholesale vending machine snacks. Walmart Business can help by providing you with thousands of snack, beverage and meal options that you can sell to customers. And if you sign up for a Walmart Business+ membership, you’ll gain access to free shipping,¹ free delivery from store on orders over $35² and 2% rewards back for purchases over $250.³ You might even save over $500 a year.⁴ Learn more here.

¹Excludes most Marketplace items, freight and certain location surcharges.

²Restrictions apply. 

³Rewards can only be used toward future purchases on Walmart Business. Additional terms apply.

⁴Savings based on 1 free $35+ delivery order vs. $9.95 fee and 1 free shipping order under $35 vs. $6.99 fee biweekly, plus 2% Walmart Business rewards on monthly order >$250 (average value of $400).