While sitting in the Publications Office in the lower level of Sullivan Hall producing the very issue you are reading right now, I had a sudden Frappuccino urge. Mainly, I needed the caffeine – but I also longed for some mocha to grace my palette.
Thankfully for me (or so I thought) there are two vending machines at the end of the hall after making a left out of the Publications Office door.
By Stormy Knight,
Editor-in-Chief
While sitting in the Publications Office in the lower level of Sullivan Hall producing the very issue you are reading right now, I had a sudden Frappuccino urge. Mainly, I needed the caffeine – but I also longed for some mocha to grace my palette.
Thankfully for me (or so I thought) there are two vending machines at the end of the hall after making a left out of the Publications Office door.
I inserted my $2.00, made my selection of A3, heard my change of $.50 drop, and then-nothing. No spiral uncurled to release my bottle of Starbucks goodness, no arm raised from the bottom of the machine to cradle my cold coffee concoction and gently drop the drink down to the door where my hands would be waiting to tear off the plastic safety band.
$1.50 is ridiculously steep to pay for less than 10 ounces of thirst quenching liquid in the first place, regardless of the fact that I now only had $.75 left to my name. At least I had enough money to grab a granola bar out of the other vending machine that contains food – or is supposed to contain food. To my dismay, a lone pack of Mallow Cups and a few packages of gum were the only items left to be purchased.
Half of the vending machines on the first floor of Lynch Hall haven’t worked for me for the past year. Neither soda machine takes dollar bills. I used to resort to putting my dollar in the food vending machine and pressing the coin return button-I thought I was being crafty until one day upon pressing that button the machine simply spat my bill back at me instead of giving me coins.
I’ve had the same problems with the machines in the Maura Hall “Commuters” lounge. The machines don’t take my money, don’t give me the right change, or don’t give me my food or beverage at all.
I consider myself lucky if the only thing that happens is that my food gets stuck. Then the situation becomes man versus machine, and man wins every time, whether I personally wrestle the machine myself or I grab a member of maintenance to do so.
The Setonian photo editor, Chris Bruce, told me that Darren Achtzehn, director of food services, said to write him an e-mail if the machines need to be restocked. That problem is solved. What I am wondering is what to do when a machine eats my last precious dollar and I’m still starving or thirsty and now broke.
I am not quite sure that I understand how, especially considering they are in no way a new technology, manufacturers can still manage to produce so many defective vending machines.
We can put a man on the moon, but I can’t get a Frappuccino when I need one. I think from now on I’ll just go to the Cove and save myself $.55 and a headache as well. It’s worth taking the stairs.