[Vocabulary] Change Machine

[englishhobby]

In a textbook I saw a dialogue in which one of the speakers mentioned "change machine" when talking about town services. Are there change machines in Britain and USA now?

 

[Rover_KE]

There certainly are.

Click here to see a few.

 

[SoothingDave]

Here, too.

Remember that we still use paper dollar bills, so when we purchase a candy bar from a vending machine we need to have either a change machine to give us coins or have the machine take dollar bills directly.

(The quarter is the largest coin in common use. They continually attempt to get Americans to use dollar coins, but they have never caught on.)

 

[emsr2d2]

There are rarely change machines near (food) vending machines in the UK. If you don't have coins, then you're out of luck. However, in amusement arcades (places with fruit machines, video games etc) you will often find change machines. Sometimes you find them at railway stations too - British railway stations now charge you to use the public toilet. It's usually about 20p-30p and you must have the correct change for the machine. Having a note is impossible but if you only have, for example a £1 coin, you won't get any change from the machine at the entry point. You can, however, put your £1 coin into the change machine nearby and receive five 20-pence pieces, one of which will grant you entry to the public toilets.

 

[MikeNewYork]

There are rarely change machines near (food) vending machines in the UK. If you don't have coins, then you're out of luck. However, in amusement arcades (places with fruit machines, video games etc) you will often find change machines. Sometimes you find them at railway stations too - British railway stations now charge you to use the public toilet. It's usually about 20p-30p and you must have the correct change for the machine. Having a note is impossible but if you only have, for example a £1 coin, you won't get any change from the machine at the entry point. You can, however, put your £1 coin into the change machine nearby and receive five 20-pence pieces, one of which will grant you entry to the public toilets.

Pay toilets have mostly been eliminated in the US.

 

[emsr2d2]

Pay toilets have mostly been eliminated in the US.

Lucky you! The toilets at train stations are almost exclusively paid for. Free public toilets are becoming few and far between in major cities because the council can't afford the upkeep. I recently visited Prague where almost every public toilet requires payment, regardless of location.

 

[MikeNewYork]

Lucky you! The toilets at train stations are almost exclusively paid for. Free public toilets are becoming few and far between in major cities because the council can't afford the upkeep. I recently visited Prague where almost every public toilet requires payment, regardless of location.

I don't think it was luck as much as the despicable alternative. :shock:

 

[englishhobby]

Thank you for giving this "social life" information. Now I have a lot to tell to my students about town services.) In Russia we do have pay toilets, but there are no "toilet machines" or change machines, just "toilet ladies" sitting at the toilet door and taking your money and giving you change.) (Though it seems to me that I am seeing less of them (ladies) these days.) And in big stores and cafes toilets are free!

 

[SoothingDave]

I don't know about in the big city centers, but when driving in the US, you can always stop at a fast food place, or gas station/convenience store for a toilet stop.

Buy a drink if you feel guilty about it.

I figure I have eaten at McDonald's enough in my life to use their restroom, even if I am not buying something this particular time at this particular McDonald's.