By Gionna Bean, Opinion Editor
Students may have noticed a new installation around campus as of the start of the semester— new vending machines. The new machines have been spotted in many spaces around campus including Saint Rose of Lima Hall and Saint Joseph The Worker Hall.
New vending machines – Photo by Onika Davis
The new vending machines were put in as part of an initiative by Creative Dining Services to create micro-businesses around campus that feel more accessible and welcoming to students. According to Creative Dining Services, the machines are designed to allow students to grab what they want, while the machine reads what they took by reading barcodes on the backs of the items.
Some students have voiced their concerns over the new machines, that some of the old machines that they frequented were taken away.
One student misses the old vending machine in Regina Hall that she used to stop by for snacks last year. “They’re cool but they took the one out of Regina,” sophomore Reid May said.
Creative Dining Retail Supervisor office – Photo by Gionna Bean
Not only are the old ones getting taken away, but the new ones aren’t always reliable. When the writers of theSaint tested the machines themselves, they found that the machine will sometimes charge more than the price listed. When buying a drink that went for $1.50, the machine charged $5.75 instead. This failure could prove damaging to the wallets of many college students.
On the other hand, the food options in the new vending machines are healthier than those in the older models.
“I like them,” sophomore Allison Edwards said. “There are a lot more healthy options, and it’s offered in a very accessible way.”
Overall, the new vending machines are a lot to get used to, and Aquinas has yet to see if their financial decision will pay off in the long run.
The Saint 