Coca-Cola’s new Coke ON subscription service makes Japanese vending machines more fun to use

For a monthly fee, collect a daily drink from any Coke ON eligible vending machine!

Coca-Cola is such an unstoppable behemoth at this point that it feels like it’s harder to find a place where you can’t pick up a Coke beverage than one where you can.

This is especially true in Japan, where all manner of flavors and clear variations on the classic drink are sold — not to mention the teas, sports drinks, and cocktails licensed by the parent company.

So daunting is the selection of Coca-Cola branded drinks that you might want to try a different one every day. But is that even feasible without spending an exorbitant amount? Not anymore. Coca-Cola’s official app Coke ON is starting a subscription service that allows patrons to swipe their phone at a vending machine and receive a daily drink.

The Coke ON Pass service is set to go live in mid-April, with a cost of 2,700 yen (US$24.78) per month. However, users who sign up before May 31 can do so at half price (1,350 yen, $12.39).

Considering a classic can of Coke from Coke ON-eligible vending machines usually runs around 120 yen, it’s a great offer for daily drinkers. Buying one each day without the subscription would cost 3,600 yen per month, compared to less than half that for the promotional price.

That’s a sizeable savings, and of course classic Coke isn’t the only product on offer here. If you’d rather avoid the sugary drinks, Coke ON offers a variety of alternatives, from Ilohas bottled water, to their Ayataka brand of green tea, to canned coffee, to sports drinks.

Here’s what Japanese netizens thought of the service, with a range of opinions:

“Seems good if you have a vending machine near your work or home. Not fun to have to search one out though.”
“Not an all-you-can-drink service? Pass.”
“No complaints about it at 1,350 yen. I’ll use it at that price.”
“Not really feeling the savings at 2,700 yen, just the pressure to drink every day.”

The current information provided about the service doesn’t specify if you can save these daily drinks to redeem later, or if they must be redeemed daily — meaning that if you miss a day, you’ll potentially impact how much you’re saving with your subscription.

But aside from the pass, the Coke ON app has other benefits, like entering you in contests if you do enough walking, so if you’re a fan of the brand then be sure to check it out!

Source: Keitai Watch via Hachima Kiko
Top image: Coke ON
Insert image: Pakutaso
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