Taylor Huff

August 12, 2025

The Packerton Pop Machine: Indiana’s Coldest, Quirkiest Legend

Deep in rural Claypool, Indiana, a lone soda machine has become a cult roadside stop. Discover the story, location, and charm of the Packerton Pop Machine.

Hidden Gems
Food

Indiana’s Most Famous Soda Machine 🥤

In the middle of rural Claypool, Indiana—surrounded by cornfields, gravel roads, and the kind of quiet that makes you roll your windows down—you’ll find a beacon of fizzy joy: The Packerton Pop Machine.

No building. No shop. No human attendant. Just one sun-faded soda machine standing proudly at the corner of Packerton Road and 700S. Some say this gem has been around for 20 or more years. If you blink, you might miss it. But if you're lucky enough to stop, you’ll understand why it’s become a small-town legend.

A Machine With a Cult Following

This isn’t just any pop machine, it’s the pop machine. Locals love it. Travelers seek it out. And online, the reviews have turned it into an internet star. No joke, this thing has 4.8 stars on Google with 46 reviews.

Quite literally the greatest soda machine in Indiana, if not the Midwest,” wrote reviewer Collin Chupp. “The soda is always fresh and cold as the Rockies. This is truly a national treasure.”

And while that may sound like high praise for a vending machine, it’s echoed again and again. One reviewer, bigtimtrax, insisted, “It ain’t a date unless you swing through and get a pop.” Move over Paris, Packerton just entered the romance chat.

With reviews like this I knew I had to stop. I grabbed some friends and headed to Claypool. The hype was real. I popped in 75 cents and got an ice cold Mountain Dew. We also got a root beer and a Sprite. Crisp and cold and a steal for three quarters. 

A Landmark for the Thirsty and the Curious

In a world of sleek touchscreens and self-checkouts, the Packerton Pop Machine is beautifully analog. It doesn’t need Wi-Fi, branding, or even a sign. Its simplicity is the charm. It’s cold. It’s quirky. It’s quietly famous. And it’s waiting for you, humming gently under Indiana skies.

So next time you’re cruising the countryside near Claypool, detour down Packerton Road. Drop in a few quarters. Press your luck. And crack open a can of small-town magic.

You’ll leave with more than a soda—you’ll leave with a story.

Indiana’s Most Famous Soda Machine 🥤

In the middle of rural Claypool, Indiana—surrounded by cornfields, gravel roads, and the kind of quiet that makes you roll your windows down—you’ll find a beacon of fizzy joy: The Packerton Pop Machine.

No building. No shop. No human attendant. Just one sun-faded soda machine standing proudly at the corner of Packerton Road and 700S. Some say this gem has been around for 20 or more years. If you blink, you might miss it. But if you're lucky enough to stop, you’ll understand why it’s become a small-town legend.

A Machine With a Cult Following

This isn’t just any pop machine, it’s the pop machine. Locals love it. Travelers seek it out. And online, the reviews have turned it into an internet star. No joke, this thing has 4.8 stars on Google with 46 reviews.

Quite literally the greatest soda machine in Indiana, if not the Midwest,” wrote reviewer Collin Chupp. “The soda is always fresh and cold as the Rockies. This is truly a national treasure.”

And while that may sound like high praise for a vending machine, it’s echoed again and again. One reviewer, bigtimtrax, insisted, “It ain’t a date unless you swing through and get a pop.” Move over Paris, Packerton just entered the romance chat.

With reviews like this I knew I had to stop. I grabbed some friends and headed to Claypool. The hype was real. I popped in 75 cents and got an ice cold Mountain Dew. We also got a root beer and a Sprite. Crisp and cold and a steal for three quarters. 

A Landmark for the Thirsty and the Curious

In a world of sleek touchscreens and self-checkouts, the Packerton Pop Machine is beautifully analog. It doesn’t need Wi-Fi, branding, or even a sign. Its simplicity is the charm. It’s cold. It’s quirky. It’s quietly famous. And it’s waiting for you, humming gently under Indiana skies.

So next time you’re cruising the countryside near Claypool, detour down Packerton Road. Drop in a few quarters. Press your luck. And crack open a can of small-town magic.

You’ll leave with more than a soda—you’ll leave with a story.

Indiana’s Most Famous Soda Machine 🥤

In the middle of rural Claypool, Indiana—surrounded by cornfields, gravel roads, and the kind of quiet that makes you roll your windows down—you’ll find a beacon of fizzy joy: The Packerton Pop Machine.

No building. No shop. No human attendant. Just one sun-faded soda machine standing proudly at the corner of Packerton Road and 700S. Some say this gem has been around for 20 or more years. If you blink, you might miss it. But if you're lucky enough to stop, you’ll understand why it’s become a small-town legend.

A Machine With a Cult Following

This isn’t just any pop machine, it’s the pop machine. Locals love it. Travelers seek it out. And online, the reviews have turned it into an internet star. No joke, this thing has 4.8 stars on Google with 46 reviews.

Quite literally the greatest soda machine in Indiana, if not the Midwest,” wrote reviewer Collin Chupp. “The soda is always fresh and cold as the Rockies. This is truly a national treasure.”

And while that may sound like high praise for a vending machine, it’s echoed again and again. One reviewer, bigtimtrax, insisted, “It ain’t a date unless you swing through and get a pop.” Move over Paris, Packerton just entered the romance chat.

With reviews like this I knew I had to stop. I grabbed some friends and headed to Claypool. The hype was real. I popped in 75 cents and got an ice cold Mountain Dew. We also got a root beer and a Sprite. Crisp and cold and a steal for three quarters. 

A Landmark for the Thirsty and the Curious

In a world of sleek touchscreens and self-checkouts, the Packerton Pop Machine is beautifully analog. It doesn’t need Wi-Fi, branding, or even a sign. Its simplicity is the charm. It’s cold. It’s quirky. It’s quietly famous. And it’s waiting for you, humming gently under Indiana skies.

So next time you’re cruising the countryside near Claypool, detour down Packerton Road. Drop in a few quarters. Press your luck. And crack open a can of small-town magic.

You’ll leave with more than a soda—you’ll leave with a story.

Written By:

Taylor Huff

Written By:

Taylor Huff

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Hidden Gems in Indiana are powered by Khamis Fine Jewelers, your trusted Indianapolis jeweler for the last 30 years. While not all gems are found in plain sight, shop their curated selection of extraordinary stones and designs you won't find anywhere else.

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Khamis Fine Jewelers

Hidden Gems in Indiana are powered by Khamis Fine Jewelers, your trusted Indianapolis jeweler for the last 30 years. While not all gems are found in plain sight, shop their curated selection of extraordinary stones and designs you won't find anywhere else.

Hidden Gems

Khamis Fine Jewelers

Hidden Gems in Indiana are powered by Khamis Fine Jewelers, your trusted Indianapolis jeweler for the last 30 years. While not all gems are found in plain sight, shop their curated selection of extraordinary stones and designs you won't find anywhere else.