It's not salt, it's smoke
Also, the picture on each vendor indicates what product it contains. That vendor won't serve brew, but cigars and cigarettes (although I will be the first to admit that the image on that particular machine isn't too clear)
Personally I'm not too keen on the idea of having a courtyard. I sort of like the idea of being "locked" in the factory, with the only way out being to escape. It is just like the first three Oddworld games, where the entrance to the buildings you were in was never accessable.