Remember the first candy bar you got from a vending machine? That moment of trepidation as the spiral pushed it towards you... that split second of fear when you thought it wouldn't drop into the dispensing area... then that first magical bite of chocolate.

You might have thought that life couldn't get much better than that but things have moved on since vending machines dispensed nothing by candy and soda. 

Nowadays businesses are aligning technology with customers’ buying experiences in every possible way and more and more companies are getting into the vending machine game. 

Here are five examples of things dispensed by a machine that were unimaginable not all that long ago. 

Oyster lovers in France now don't need to worry about indulging in a round of oysters once their beach front fishmonger has shut up for the day. Brigitte and Tony Berthelot, seafood purveyors on Ile de Re, an island off the country's west coast, found that customers were upset about not being able to buy oysters after their store had closed so they installed oyster vending machines earlier this month so people can get their hands on the (acquired taste) morsels 24/7. 

Chinese tech giant Alibaba announced it was launching "automotive vending machines" in China later this year.

A promotional video released earlier this month showed a customer buying a car from such a machine using a mobile app linked to a parking facility.

The concept of self-service vehicle purchasing was not invented by Alibaba though. US company Carvana introduced the world's first car vending machine at the end of 2015. Another car vending machine was opened in Singapore in May this year by secondhand car dealer Autobahn Motors. Their 15-floor tower can hold 60 luxury cars.

Many people look at their smartphones during the morning commute to kill time or avoid small talk with strangers. Some oldschoolers may even still carry books or newspapers.

French publisher Short Édition has the solution for commuters who like a snack for their minds. Introduced at the end of 2015, the publisher rolled out 32 machines at train stations across France dispensing short stories that take only a few moments to read.  

The concept has become such a hit in the country that the company has even brought the machines to the United States, installing them in San Franscico last year.

This idea could be a lifesaver for travelers who forget to pack an extra jacket, although the company's intention with this bright idea was not to save the day to begin with.

In 2007, Japanese fashion retailer Uniqlo ran a campaign involving pop-up T-shirt vending machines in Tokyo's Harajuku district. Ten years later it is using these machines to learn more about its Western customers across the Pacific.

Beginning this month, Uniqlo has set up many vending machines in airports in major US cities. The machines dispense popular Uniqlo lines such as Heattech shirts in boxes or canisters. Customers can return the items in-store or by mail if they don't fit. 

Forget about the frozen food aisle in your local supermarket... 

JR Group, the manufacturer of the popular Chef-in-Box Vendcafe in Singapore, announced last week that it is expanding into the UK by 2018. The company will bring quality meals to Londoners in partnership with local food manufacturer, DSI Foods.