Co-dispensing snack food products and beverages from a vending machine

A process for dispensing both filled beverage containers and filled snack food containers from a vending machine configured to dispense soft drink containers, the process comprising steps of:

• providing a vending machine having at least first and second refrigerated storage portions, both of said refrigerated storage portions configured to receive a plurality of containers and in communication with a single outlet, the containers having a uniform size such that when filled the machine contains a plurality of containers having a uniform size, the vending machine further including means for selecting either a beverage or snack food container and means, responsive to the selecting means, for releasing a selected container from the storage portion of the machine to a dispensing door which opens to said single outlet;
• placing a plurality of containers filled with a beverage in the first refrigerated storage portion of said vending machine;
• placing a plurality of containers filled with a snack food product in the second refrigerated storage portion of said vending machine;
• and
• automatically opening the dispensing door at least each time a snack food container is selected by a user whereby the selected container is released from the storage portion and passes through the open door to the outlet of the machine;
• whereby a user may obtain both a snack food product and a beverage from said single outlet of said vending machine.

A vending machine for dispensing both filled beverage containers and filled snack food containers, the vending machine configured to dispense a container through an outlet when a user selects the container, the machine comprising:

• at least first and second refrigerated storage portions, both of said refrigerated storage portions being configured to receive a plurality of substantially uniform size and shape containers;
• a pathway leading from the storage portions to a single dispensing door which is opened to permit the containers to pass to the outlet of the machine;
• a selecting device for selecting either a beverage or snack food container and a drive mechanism which is responsive to the selecting device and moves the selected container from the storage portion to the single dispensing door;
• a device for opening the dispensing door when a user selects a snack food container and keeping the door open to allow the snack food container to travel from the storage portion to the outlet;
• a plurality of containers filled with a beverage being disposed in the first refrigerated storage portion of said vending machine;
• and
• a plurality of containers filled with a snack food product being disposed in the second refrigerated storage portion of said vending machine.