:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-2164341586-9954e4db2ad84b4e8ab0e0e55a8091e3.jpg "Vending Machine Users in 38 States May Claim Part of .94M Settlement—Check Your Eligibility Before the Nov. 14 Deadline")
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Key Takeaways
- Americans who used a credit card or debit card to buy from certain vending machines in dozens of states in the last decade (between 2014 and July 9, 2025) could be eligible for a piece of a $6.94 million settlement.
- Vending machine operator Canteen has agreed to settle a suit alleging that it overcharged card users without informing them that prices were higher using a card than when using cash.
- Those eligible for reimbursement have until Nov. 14 to file a claim, which could pay out anywhere from $30 to $360.
If you used a vending machine owned by Compass Group USA (which does business as Canteen) in the last decade or so, you might be able to claim a piece of a $6.94 million settlement—as long as you do so before the deadline.
Depending on your snack and beverage habits, you could get anywhere from $30 to $360 from the settlement, pending its approval at a hearing set for early next year.
According to the settlement website, payments “will be distributed as soon as possible, only if and when the Court grants final approval to the Settlement and after any appeals are resolved.”
What Was the Lawsuit About?
Canteen was accused of charging a higher price in a vending machine for customers who paid with a credit card or debit card rather than with cash, without providing adequate notice about the difference in price. The company has agreed to pay a $6.94 million settlement in cash payments to customers who used cards in their vending machines over the last decade or so, and denies any wrongdoing.
Important
Those eligible to receive a settlement payment need to file a claim by Nov. 14, 2025, while anyone who wants to object or opt out of the settlement to retain their right to potentially pursue legal action against the company in the future must do so by Oct. 14, 2025.
The settlement is scheduled to be heard and potentially approved on Jan. 9, 2026, with payments expected to go out sometime after the settlement is approved and after any potential appeals are resolved.
Who Is Eligible for a Piece of the Settlement?
Anyone who believes they were overcharged when paying at a vending machine in one of the 38 applicable states can submit a claim for a payment. On the claim form, you need to include your name and contact information, confirm that you made a purchase at an applicable machine from 2014 through July 9 of this year, and list the number of purchases and location where they were made.
Those who made up to 250 purchases in that time, which spans just over 4,200 days, will get a $30 payment, with payments increasing by $30 at each additional 250-purchase milestone. However, the claims page states that the payment scale could be reduced if more claimants file than the settlement can afford to pay.
The machines in question were located in Washington, D.C. along with these states, per the site’s list: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
