Tired of walking around thirsty just because you have no money for the vending machine? Coca-Cola has implemented new drink machines at Haley Center that take Visa and MasterCard, in addition to TigerCard and cash.
“It makes it more accessible for people who don’t necessarily carry around a lot of money, so if they need a drink, they can get it and the school will make more money off of it,” said Neil Dancille, a freshman in business.
Students no longer have to go to the bookstore or Foy to get drinks. When they don’t have cash, they can simply pull out their cards, swipe them and walk away with a drink.
Haley Center is one of the busiest buildings on campus and the place where many students have most of their classes, so it is sometimes necessary to stop and take a drink break.
Auburn is the second school to get the machines with the credit card reader on them. Jacksonville State is the other school that has them.
Coca-Cola presented the new machines, and they were added in with the school’s new beverage agreement. Coca-Cola recently shut down its plant in Opelika and is now performing all operations in LaGrange. The program presents no extra charge to the University and therefore no extra charge for students. It was first pioneered at Jacksonville State and has proven to be a successful and popular addition according to students.
The new machines are on a separate reader than the TigerCard system, so they do not eliminate the system already in place; they simply broaden the spectrum for payment options.
“It seems like it would be very successful because we know that so many students are walking around with plastic in their pockets as opposed to cash,” said Bob Ritenbaugh, assistant vice president for auxiliary services. “This would allow them to purchase a bottle of soda or a bottle of water without having to find cash.”
So far, the machines seem to be prompting a positive response among Auburn students.
“I think is very convenient, probably not good for my bank balance,” said Colleen Michan, a freshman in communications. “I’m much more likely now (to buy from the vending machine) ‘cause I don’t usually carry much cash on hand.”
Right now, the beverage machines are the only machines that take credit and debit cards, but the future may hold a similar concept for snack machines.
Most of the machines are estimated to be in place in March.
