Seattle! The Mystery Coke Machine!

I just returned home from a trip to Seattle, my old home town. The boys and I try to make a visit at least once a year and we have our favorite can’t miss spots, but for this visit I was looking to add a few new things to our itinerary. It was during my search that I came across an article about the Mystery Coke Machine! What’s this all about I thought? How had I never heard of it? 

Also known as the “supernatural” pop machine, the Mystery Coke Machine is an old dilapidated looking vending machine covered in graffiti. It stands alone on the sidewalk in the Capitol Hill neighborhood, just off Broadway on East John Street.

What’s the Deal?

What’s special about it? Well, for starters nobody knows who actually owns the machine or who stocks it with sodas. All of the buttons on the front of the machine are labeled “Mystery”so you have no idea what type of soda you’ll receive once you insert your coins (the cost for one soda is $.75, a bargain!) The vending machine version of a blind box! My kids love blind boxes! Okay, I admit it, I love blind boxes too!

Rumor had it that not only would you have no idea what type of soda the machine would spit out, but it could be something other than a Coke product or even something unseen on local store shelves for decades. I read that you might even receive a soda with money for another soda taped to the bottom!

All of us wanted to try out the Mystery Coke Machine and everyone wanted to push their own mystery button! With the exception of one brotherly incident where the big brother pushed the buttons when it wasn’t his turn, it was a nice little activity! I know it sounds silly, but it was actually quite fun!

You’re probably wondering what type of sodas the Mystery Coke Machine saw fit to give us… We ended up with two Cokes, Peach Fresca, Mountain Dew, Seagrams Ginger Ale, Tab, Cherry Dr. Pepper and a Strawberry soda! A wide variety!

If you find yourself in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood and feel thirsty why not try your luck and give The Mystery Coke Machine a try?