Don't touch the candy !

OK, here i am getting gas at the local "cheapie" station (with gas prices these days the vendor's life is getting hard). Anyway, I have a van so it usually takes about 5 minutes to fill-up. I was bored so I was looking at the Office Strip Mall across the street. You know the type, they are setup like a regular strip mall but they only have offices, no food (OK one Pizza Shop). I always like to look around because it occured to me that I shuld get machines in those offices (not sure why Inever thought about it before). Almost as if my mind summoned him out of the RE Office walks a vendor with a Vendstar (too expensive at $350 each bbut OK for less than $150 on eBay) in his hands. He was servicing his route! I rarely get a chance to watch my competitors so I took the opportunity now - since I was just sitting there anyway.

So I sat there watching him. He did all the right things. Wiped down the machine, filled with product, emptied the coins, and lastly he tested the vends. To my utter horror he was catching the candy in his hand (yes he even tasted some) and then dumped the rest back into the machine. This was done in plain sight of everyone. Worse yet, this guy didn't give off the "nice and clean" look - he actually scratched himself (I won't say where) during the whole process too. I am not making this stuff up. I wish I had a video camera handy to use the footage in future training videos.

Folks, when you stocking your bulk candy/gumball machines, please do not touch the product. And if you have to, DO NOT put it back in the machine. Throw it away. You'll only make the rest of us look bad.