Were people honest and did they pay the extra one cent?
When i was younger, Coca Cola from a machine, cost a nickel. you heard correct, five cents. shortly after, Coca Cola raised the price of a bottle of Coke from a machine from 5 cents to 6 cents. instead of replacing the mechanical mechanism to accept the extra penny, Coca Cola just installed an “honor box” next to the nickel slot on the machine. how many people do you believe actually gave that extra penny and deposited it in the “honor box”? hint: this only lasted one year, then a bottle of Coke went to ten cents.
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Well, I probably would, just because I have such a guilty conscience about those sorts of things. Besides, it would be a good way to get rid of all my extra pennies.
I think it would depend on how old the people were who used the machine. I think teenagers would probably skimp out more, since they’re more “rebellious” and likely to break rules just for the sake of breaking rules. Small children generally tend to be more honest because they have the fear of retaliation (by either their parents or a higher power) instilled in their minds. Adults… well, it would vary. Some are more honest and responsible than others.
Just goes to show how the times have changed. An “honor box” would never work in this day and age. It’s hard to believe Coke ever cost 5 cents. The cheapest I ever purchased any soda for was 85 cents, and that was around 15 years ago.
ParaParaY…....yep, they were a nickel and some of those Coke bottles are worth a small fortune today. instead of having two or three big plants across the nation to produce Coca Cola back then, there were small plants throughout the United States. on the glass bottle of each Coke, was embossed in the glass, the city in which the Coke plant was located. you would be amazed at how many small towns made Coca Cola back then in the 50s.
I’d say most if not all. The fear of God ruled the honor code of society back in the “stone age” you are talking about John and again most if not all operated under that same moral code that kept an honest man honest.
Coke machines used to have doors, too, didn’t they? You were sort of on the honor system to take only one bottle.
Cruiser….stone age? i was a teenager then and we did not consider us to be in the stone age. just fooling with you. its hard for me to realize that i am 66 years old and i guess you guys consider that era the stone age. oh well, i am blessed to still be here. i considered the same about my parents when they discussed World War II with me. its just the generation in which we lived.
Mrentropy….....yes, the door did open, after you deposited your money. the machine would only allow one product to be released at a time. if it were not for this, you are correct, all the Cokes, etc., would have been taken. no honor there.
@john65pennington I dunno… Not everyone steals all the newspapers. Of course, they’re not as tasty…
@john65pennington – While I wasn’t around for 5 or 10 cents, I do remember 25 cents for a coke. As for those cool bottles from different plants, that was something that I was taught to look for from a young age. “Where’s your Coke from?” was a regular question. My dad had a bottle from Egypt when he was in the Navy. Don’t know what happened to it.
Tedibear….if you locate it, its probably worth a fortune. collectors will pay a hefty price for that bottle. i am glad you were around to help me convince the people that Cokes were cheaper, a lot cheaper, years ago. thanks for the input. john
I’m in my 40s and I remember cheaper Cokes.
Mrenthropy…....did not mean to leave you out. to you i thank you, also. john
And glass bottles. Around here you can get larger glass bottles of Coke that come from Mexico.
I remember 5 and 10 cent pop.
You put your money in the box and lifted up the lid and stuck your hand in icecold water and pulled the pop out, dripping wet.
Oh sorry John I didn’t answer the question.
I would have paid the extra cent, not sure about everyone, but I think most would have, where I live anyway.
Wilma…i remember raising the lid to retrieve a Coke, but where did your cold water come from? thats news to me. i do believe you would have paid the extra penny. thanks.
Mrentropy…......glass bottles? i thought they were extinct. is the Coke also made in Mexico?
@john65pennington – If mrentropy is getting his Coca-cola from Mexico, he’s probably getting it made with sugar, not HFCS and it likely tastes like the coke we remember.
PS: I’m really a Pepsi girl at heart, but did drink Coke at one time. These days I will only drink Pepsi Throwback.
@tedibear39 I don’t buy it. I had a friend who bought a case of it by accident. It was way cheap. Then he had a serious case of Montezuma’s Revenge.
@john65pennington I don’t know if the water came from melted ice or if there was just water in the chest style vending machine. It was always very cold, I think it was electric, and you had to slide the pop bottle to the spot where it could be lifted out.
Dang, mrentropy, that would have sucked. That makes me think it was made in Mexico. You know, that whole “don’t drink the water” thing.
@tedibear39 That’s what I figure. The rational part of me wants to believe that the water would be boiled or something first.
@john65pennington I am no spring chicken and also remember the Coke Ice Chest “vending Machines” in the 60’s where you lifted the lid chose your pop and threw your quarter in the box attached to the machine.
@Cruiser you called it pop!
me too!
So did your chest type pop vending machine have cold water in it?
@wilma Nope it was an actual Coca Cola Co. “cooler” and it had this racking system that the bottles hung by the neck of the bottle and you lifted the lid made your choice and opened the bottle with the bottle open built in to it. (that was my favorite part)
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