“Change is inevitable—except from a vending machine” is a jocular saying that has been printed on many gift items, such as bumper stickers and T-shirts. The saying has been cited in print since at least 1988 and has been credited to Robert C. Gallagher, but the identity of this quotation author is unknown.
 
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The American Legion
Volume 125
1988
Pg. 80:
Change is inevitable— except from a vending machine.—Robert C. Gallagher
 
22 September 1992, Kansas City (MO) Star, “Author catalogs quotes for use of speakers on business topics” by Jennifer Greer, pg. D14:
For example, “Change is inevitable - except from a vending machine” and “Most of us will never do great things, but we can do small things in a great way.”
 
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19 September 1994, Network World, “Internetworking Monitor” by Scott Bradner, pg. 24, col. 4:
Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine.
 
Google News Archive
28 February 1997, Lawrence (KS) Journal-World, Home Weekend, pg. 10, col. 2 ad:
“Change Is Inevitable, Except From Vending Machines.”—Seen on a bumper sticker.
(Hedges Real Estate—ed.)
 
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Murphy’s Law 2000:
What Else Can Go Wrong in the 21st Century
By Arthur Bloch
New York, NY: Price Stern Sloan
1999
Pg. 75:
R. C. GALLAGHER’S LAW:
Change is inevitable — except from a vending machine.
 
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Tweet This Book:
The 1,400 Greatest Quotes of All Time in 140 Characters Or Less
By Sayre Van Young and Marin Van Young
Berkeley, CA: Ulysses Press: Distributed by Publishers Group West
2011
Pg. 43:
Change is inevitable—except from a vending machine.
Robert C. Gallagher
 
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Book of Business Quotations
Edited by Bill Ridgers
Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
2012
Pg. ?:
Change is inevitable, except from vending machines.
Anon