First of all, I like the ones with the red race cars on the packet. You can find them in the men's toilet in most pubs in the UK. There are, though, typically 4 problems in purchasing them there:
1) The odds are at least 50/50 that the machine will take your money and give you nothing in return
2) Buying things like this is a men's room is a great way to meet blokes and, if that's not your thing, it could be embarrassing for the other party
3) I always seem to be standing in at least 2 inches of water when I do this and at least 1 coin always seems to slip from my fingers
4) The machine is usually placed right next to the door and I get smacked by it at least 5 times during the transaction as intoxicated patrons enter the WC.

Second, and this for Big Mick who wrote above on 18JAN at 8:54PM about he and Liam being in a pub together, I have checked with Liam, Mick, and he tells me that the incident you describe did not happen that way at all. He left with the young lady! All the best,
Dan