Before touchscreens, vending machines were a snack lover’s paradise. They were filled with sugary hits, bold flavors, and guilty pleasures that defined every school hallway and office break room. Let’s take a nostalgic trip with these nine retro vending machine snacks you almost forgot existed.
9. Squeezit
Before the age of ergonomic water bottles, we had Squeezit, the ultimate interactive beverage. These bright, fruit-flavored drinks came in plastic bottles that you had to twist the top off of and squeeze to drink. While they were a lunchbox staple, Squeezits were also common in school vending machines. The novelty of the bottle and the fun of squeezing made it a memorable part of the ’90s.
8. Surge
This highly caffeinated citrus soda was Coca-Cola’s answer to Mountain Dew, and it quickly became the go-to drink for gamers, skaters, and anyone looking to live life on the edge. It was a staple in vending machines across the country, but its reign was short-lived. Amidst rumors of high caffeine and sugar content, schools banned the soda from their vending machines, and by 2003, Surge was discontinued.
7. Choco Taco
Remember the dessert that combined the best of a taco and an ice cream cone? Yup, we’re talking about Choco Taco. This frozen treat featured a taco-shaped waffle cone with vanilla ice cream, peanuts, fudge, and a milk chocolate coating. It was a staple of ice cream trucks and convenience store freezers, but it also made its way into vending machines, offering a welcome frozen surprise.
6. Kudos Granola Bars
Launched by Mars, Inc. in the 1980s, these weren’t your average, healthy granola bars. They were packed with chocolate chips, Snickers pieces, M&Ms, and other candy, making them a slightly rebellious choice. Kudos were a lunchbox staple and a common sight in school vending machines, offering a seemingly “healthier” option that still felt like a treat.
5. Keebler O’Boisies
In 1988, Keebler introduced a chip that was unlike any other. O’Boisies were light, crispy, airy potato chips with a unique, bubbly texture that made them stand out. The sour cream and onion flavor was particularly popular, delivering a bold taste that kept snackers coming back for more. Despite their deliciousness, O’Boisies had a short lifespan and were discontinued in the early ’90s.
4. Keebler Tato Skins
Keebler’s Tato Skins were the chips that tasted like a loaded baked potato. Launched in 1985, they were made with real potato skins and had a hearty, satisfying crunch. The generous coating of seasoning powder also gave them an intense flavor. Tato Skins were a vending machine staple, a go-to choice for those craving something a little more substantial than a regular potato chip.
3. Keebler Pizzarias
In 1991, Keebler unleashed a snack that changed the chip game forever. Pizzarias were made from actual pizza dough, giving them an authentic, savory taste that was unlike anything else in the vending machine. With flavors like Cheese Pizza and Zesty Pepperoni, Pizzarias were an instant hit, becoming Keebler’s most successful snack food and earning $75 million in their first year.
2. Planters P.B. Crisps
In the mid-90s, Planters gave us P.B. Crisps, a snack so delicious that its discontinuation still haunts fans to this day. These bite-sized treats featured a graham cracker shell in the shape of a peanut, filled with peanut butter, chocolate, or PB&J filling. P.B. Crisps were a massive hit with both kids and adults, and they went on to become a vending machine favorite.
1. Munchos
Before Pringles became the king of snacks, there were Munchos with a melt-in-your-mouth texture and satisfying crunch. They were a popular option in vending machines in the ’80s and ’90s, a go-to choice for anyone looking for a satisfying salty snack. While Munchos are still technically in production, they’re incredibly hard to find, and their presence in vending machines is now a distant memory.
