The other day I was in need of a carbonated beverage, so I bummed a quarter off of classmate Tank and ventured into the lobby area of downstairs Beering. I instinctly went to the nearest soda dispensing machine that carried the 20 ounce version of Cherry Coke. I pressed the button of my desired beverage to check if the machine would inform me of this soda’s absence prior to insertion of change. The display read “1.00.” I took this as a good sign and inserted my four quarters. After pressing the button assigned to Cherry Coke, the display quickly outputted a new message: “Sold Out.” I pressed the change return button, took my dollar and went to the machine across the room. After following the same procedure as applied to the previous machine, I again realized that my cherished beverage had been sold out. I re-attained my four coins and went in search of another Cherry Coke holding machine. Disappointment loomed as I discovered that no other machines in the room carried Cherry Coke. I was forced to purchase a less desirable beverage to quench my thirst. Similar discontenting experiences had previously occurred in the Hick’s twenty-four hour study lounge as well as Lilly Hall.

While this tragic occurrence is immensely disturbing, there are several ways in which this problem is able to be remedied. Those in charge of stocking the soda machines should keep track of the demand of individual beverage kinds when the machines are restocked. It should be written down in a log which beverages have a large quantity remaining and which have a low or zero quantity at restock time. After this information has been gathered and compiled in an informative fashion, more educated decisions regarding the stocking of the machines can be reached. Stocking that reflect the unique tastes of this campus or even of certain areas on campus can be achieved.

If in a certain location Cherry Coke, for example, ran low much more expediateldly than Sprite, given that there are multiple soda machines and that Sprite is contained within more than one of these, the Sprite could be replaced on one machine with Cherry Coke. This can be done with any of the available beverages until an equilibrium is reached. If this equilibrium is unachievable in a given area, then the soda machines should be replenished more often until said equilibrium is achievable. Another possible approach to reaching this equilibrium would be to add extra soda machines in areas where many beverages are purchased in order that the general supply would not be depleted and additional replenishing visits would not be required.

One may argue that the extra effort exerted by the carbonated beverage refilling persons would inevitably result in price hikes because of the increased cost of replenishing machines additional times, from the cost of purchasing or leasing more machines, and from the time required to record and compile all the data necessary for accurate soda machine refilling. If all the beverage machines were stocked in such a way that the quantities of beverages available matched the demand for each beverage, more beverages would be sold. I am less likely to attempt to purchase a soda on campus now that I have had several experiences regarding the lack of Cherry Coke. I would rather purchase a soda off campus prior to coming to classes or after my last class than go to several machines on campus with the intent to purchase a seemingly available beverage only to realize that in all actuality it is not available.

Everyone should have the ability to purchase the advertised contents of soda machines all over campus without disappointment involved in receiving “Sold Out” messages. There is a flaw in the way soda machine restocking is currently carried out, and it is now time that this flaw be addressed and repaired by those in charge of replenishing soda machines at this campus.