Corona del Mar High School’s vending machines, located outside of the small gym facing the 200 building, provide an option for students to buy snacks as well as water bottles. Sometimes students forget food at home, or simply don’t bring it, and end up needing a snack. In times like these vending machines are the perfect solution to their problem.

The school’s cafeteria, while accessible and a great option for some, poses a challenge for others; the long line is a hurdle for students who have other things to do at break and lunch, and picky eaters tend to be wary of any foods they aren’t familiar with. So while the school lunch program is a great option, especially since school lunches are now free, they are not how some people wish to get sustenance during the school day. And that is where the vending machines become useful.

The machines offer options such as potato chips, bars, various types of nuts, and for students with a sweet tooth, rice crispy treats. Junior Hannah Young thinks that the vending machines are “a good way to grab a quick snack.” Many students who have after-school clubs or sports can often be seen visiting the vending machines, as well as students trying to grab a quick bite before going into a conference with a teacher. Ms. Mayberry, whose classroom sits right across from the vending machines, agrees that “in general it’s great that we have the vending machines so that people can get snacks.” Another positive point that Mayberry makes is that some of the money does come back to ASB.

Lately, the vending machines have been a source of some contention on campus, stemming from the fact that as the machines are older, they are hitting some snags. Common issues are the machines eating money without giving out what was purchased or allowing for the money to be withdrawn, as well as the helix that pushes the items out of the machines, not doing so all the way leading to food getting stuck. Students should be advised however that the solution to these problems is not to bang on or shake the machines as according to Mayberry, not only are those actions disruptive but they’re also dangerous as the machines can tip, and injure people. While the latter problem is something that people need to be educated on, the first one could be solved by automatically scheduling the machines to turn off during class time, as students shouldn’t be getting Cheetos during class anyway. Overall while they too have their drawbacks, the vending machines are a great resource to have on campus.