Remember the Chicken Machine?  It usually sat near the gumball machines in stores.  It was a big case filled with little plastic eggs that contained a toy inside.  You popped in a quarter, and the mechanical chicken in the centre would spin around and make clucking sounds while music played before it laid an egg out the dispenser

http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/7839/33nx0.jpg

It's been so long, I can't even remember what kind of toys I used to get inside

OMG!!! If you can believe it, one of our locally owned grocery stores STILL has a chicken machine. I don't think it no longer moves or clucks...but you still get a rinky dink plastic prize when you pop in 50 cents. ;D

OMG!!! If you can believe it, one of our locally owned grocery stores STILL has a chicken machine. I don't think it no longer moves or clucks...but you still get a rinky dink plastic prize when you pop in 50 cents. ;D


I wonder are the toys still the same, or did The Chicken Machine go the way of Cracker Jacks ... cheaper toys lol

I wonder are the toys still the same, or did The Chicken Machine go the way of Cracker Jacks ... cheaper toys lol


Ya know...I am really not too sure. I will have to put in some quarters the next time I am there and see what I get. Most likely (as everything nowadays) it will be total crap. :D

Ya know...I am really not too sure. I will have to put in some quarters the next time I am there and see what I get. Most likely (as everything nowadays) it will be total crap. :D


I bet it's probably stickers or those lick on tattoos.  With regular gumball machines today, the good stuff (that in the 80s costed a quarter) costs top price.  Not sure how it is in the US, but here it's a buck to get the good stuff.  Some even 2 bucks :o

I bet it's probably stickers or those lick on tattoos.  With regular gumball machines today, the good stuff (that in the 80s costed a quarter) costs top price.  Not sure how it is in the US, but here it's a buck to get the good stuff.  Some even 2 bucks :o



Yep, that's how it is here too...and it's STILL what I would consider to be junk (at 1 and 2 dollars). ::)

Yep, that's how it is here too...and it's STILL what I would consider to be junk (at 1 and 2 dollars). ::)


The 80s (and i guess 70s also) you'd get real good stuff like little keychain handcuffs, or a working cap pistol on a keychain, or a ring with a compass in it.  Now those were cool toys! 8)

Even the old 5c and 10c gumball machines (man 5c gumball machines .. talk about ancient lol) had little tiny joke books in them.  I always thought those were cool.  'Course I was like a little kid then.  Didn't take much to fascinate me ;D

The 80s (and i guess 70s also) you'd get real good stuff like little keychain handcuffs, or a working cap pistol on a keychain, or a ring with a compass in it.  Now those were cool toys! 8)

Even the old 5c and 10c gumball machines (man 5c gumball machines .. talk about ancient lol) had little tiny joke books in them.  I always thought those were cool.  'Course I was like a little kid then.  Didn't take much to fascinate me ;D



Yes....there were some really cool prizes...and Cracker Jacks usually had really neato ones too...now, all they offer is junk...that breaks in like 2 minutes.

Yes....there were some really cool prizes...and Cracker Jacks usually had really neato ones too...now, all they offer is junk...that breaks in like 2 minutes.


I know.  Cracker Jacks totally cut back.  In the old days, you bought a box of cracker jack, and you could get like a cool decoder ring.  Now you buy a "bag" of cracker jack, and you get like a tiny sticker or tattoo, that has some dumb eye puzzle picture on the back ::)

I know.  Cracker Jacks totally cut back.  In the old days, you bought a box of cracker jack, and you could get like a cool decoder ring.  Now you buy a "bag" of cracker jack, and you get like a tiny sticker or tattoo, that has some dumb eye puzzle picture on the back ::)


ew, I hate that it is in a bag now, instead of the old fashioned box. Ya, I was real pissed once. I bought one and my prize was a stupid mini replica of a baseball card...so effin' lame. :(

ew, I hate that it is in a bag now, instead of the old fashioned box. Ya, I was real pissed once. I bought one and my prize was a stupid mini replica of a baseball card...so effin' lame. :(


And ya know.  The cracker jack doesn't taste the same as it used to.  It's like you open the bag, and it's already stale lol
If I had a Time Machine, I'd bo back to the 80s and get a real box of Cracker Jack so I could remember that great taste and also get my cool toy! 8)

And ya know.  The cracker jack doesn't taste the same as it used to.  It's like you open the bag, and it's already stale lol
If I had a Time Machine, I'd bo back to the 80s and get a real box of Cracker Jack so I could remember that great taste and also get my cool toy! 8)



Yep, you're right...it definitely tastes like crap now, compared to what it used to be like. :P

They should call it Crackhole Jack, cause it tastes like it came out of someone's crack :D ;D

It's almost like they don't really put any effort in it anymore.  Like they just slap it together real quick, so they can make more and ship it faster.  I'd rather have 1 good tasting pack of cracker jack than 6 crap tasting packs lol

They should call it Crackhole Jack, cause it tastes like it came out of someone's crack :D ;D

It's almost like they don't really put any effort in it anymore.  Like they just slap it together real quick, so they can make more and ship it faster.  I'd rather have 1 good tasting pack of cracker jack than 6 crap tasting packs lol



LOL @ crackhole reference. ;D :D

That seems to be how it is with anything nowadays....cars, houses, food, clothing...everything is cheaply made, and nothing compares to how well it was made years ago.

And ya know.  The cracker jack doesn't taste the same as it used to.  It's like you open the bag, and it's already stale lol
If I had a Time Machine, I'd bo back to the 80s and get a real box of Cracker Jack so I could remember that great taste and also get my cool toy! 8)


I remember how good Cracker Jacks used to be. The last time I had one was a few years ago, in a bag, and it was terrible. There wasn't even a prize in that bag, either! (I'm guessing that might just be a manufacturing boo-boo).  :(

Whoa, I had a dream about The Chicken Machine the other day.
I always loved the prizes I got, but I'm sure others would call it crap. A toy soldier parachute-man, a friendship bracelet, mood ring, bouncy ball, or a wall-walker type thing. There were these keychains I used to collect from it, but I don't remember what kind.

Whoa, I had a dream about The Chicken Machine the other day.
I always loved the prizes I got, but I'm sure others would call it crap. A toy soldier parachute-man, a friendship bracelet, mood ring, bouncy ball, or a wall-walker type thing. There were these keychains I used to collect from it, but I don't remember what kind.


omg yes those toy parachute guys were totally awesome!  8)

Remember the Chicken Machine?  It usually sat near the gumball machines in stores.  It was a big case filled with little plastic eggs that contained a toy inside.  You popped in a quarter, and the mechanical chicken in the centre would spin around and make clucking sounds while music played before it laid an egg out the dispenser

http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/7839/33nx0.jpg

It's been so long, I can't even remember what kind of toys I used to get inside
I actually have a chickeen machine or two that i wouldnt mind getting rid of... they are in pretty good condition, and still work. my e-mail is theenchanter4@hotmail.com  reply if you're interested

I remember how good Cracker Jacks used to be. The last time I had one was a few years ago, in a bag, and it was terrible. There wasn't even a prize in that bag, either! (I'm guessing that might just be a manufacturing boo-boo).  :(


In this day and age when there is a prize inside it's nothing but paper. A tattoo or a riddle. I miss the days when you actually got a small toy. A whistle, a ring, a tiny harmonica......

I just felt sorry for the supermarket employees who had to listen to that cluck-cluck-clucking all day!

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