The vending machines at Aliso Niguel High School have accumulated a bad reputation over the years.
They are known for being unreliable and offering a semi-decent snack selection. Many students refuse to use them due to the high likelihood of not getting the snack and their money being lost completely.
Chloe Dolbee (10) says, “Sometimes the vending machines don’t work they just…swallow your money and choose not to give you the snack”
Another student, Kacie Bamyce (11) says, “Freshman and sophomore year the vending machines…take your money and you wouldn’t get anything…I’m too scared to use them.”
“Sometimes my friends don’t get stuff from the vending machine because Apple Pay doesn’t work or when they use cash it won’t give change back,” says Victoria Vasquez (9). Vasquez has only been at the school for about 3 months and has already witnessed problems with the vending machines.
The vending machines show that they take Apple Pay, but many times it still only takes the money from your card and doesn’t give you anything.
Not getting change from the vending machine is another major drawback for students, as it leaves no guaranteed way to pay.
The school should take action, as students regularly lose money from vending machines. It may be mechanical issues that are causing the payment issues, but there is no clear solution to fix this.
Another problem with vending machines is that the snacks often get stuck. Several factors could be causing this problem, including poor placement of the products, poor ventilation and power issues. It is unclear what exactly is causing the vending machine problems at Aliso. It is not evident how old the vending machines are or how the products are stocked, leaving no direct solution to the problem.
It may have to be accepted that the vending machines at Aliso Niguel High School will always have issues. If you are a hungry student and have money to spare, the vending machines may be worth the gamble. There are several across the school campus, making them easily accessible to students if they need a snack during the day.
Money could be saved if students just bring snacks from home to school, instead of wasting their money on unguaranteed snacks from the vending machines.
