There are many, many machines common in our modern lives. Phones, cars, computers, smart-boards, elevators - moment to moment they’re surrounding us. But to the TABC student, one machine is paramount to all, a machine indispensable to continued scholastic life: the vending machine.
Well, perhaps that overstates matters a bit. But undeniably, the vending machine is a frequented and prominent piece of equipment in TABC. Going through the day, it's quite common to see a large crowd of people pushing and shoving (as is the TABC minhag) to get at the precious snacks. So we decided to poll the students as a whole and find out a bit more about the machine.
A total of 125 students responded to our poll. Unsurprisingly, a resounding 92% (115 people) answered that they do purchased from the machine; only 8% (10) responded no.
These 10 people were then prompted with a second question asking why they chose not to use the machine. Though difficult to get an accurate chart with such a small source, it seems answers were primarily divided.
The 115 who said they do go to the machine were asked some specific question about their vending machine habits
Zours are the most popular snack, with 58 out of 115 students responding that they regularly order Zours from the machine. Also popular was the Hershey’s Chocolate Bar, with 54 students responding they order the chocolate bar from the TABC vending machine. Kit Kat, Oreos, and Milky Way are also regularly ordered by students.
We also asked the TABC student how they feel about the pricing. Last year, TABC notoriously raised their prices by 20 cents, which seriously upset many students. However, the majority of the students who responded to the poll felt that prices were reasonable and did not have any complaints.
It was interesting to note the various times of day students use the machine. Many students go between periods, as is evident from the long line that often forms behind the machine during the brief four minute break. Many also go during free periods, as this is a more leisurely time to go to the machine and buy a snack.
We asked students if they usually pay in the form of coins or bills. Interestingly, the split was almost even: 63 responded bills, and 56 responded coins.
Seeking original ideas and just genuinely curious, we left the students with an optional box for snack suggestions. Out of the 56 who answered, popcorn (the bags used for the microwave) was notably frequent; about ten people suggested it or some close variation.
Looking back at the data, some results were quite expected and dull, while others proved very interesting. The amount of people who used the machine (over 90%) was, effectively, a give-in; it’s useful, convenient, and not that expensive. But other data, such as the pricing issue, had an interesting response from the student body. ¾ of the students had been in school last year when the prices were raised from 40¢/60¢ to 50¢/75¢ for the two tiers of snacks, so it seemed a large number would protest to the pricing. But unexpectedly, over 50% said they found the pricing reasonable, and a further 7.5% said it was lower than a fair price.
Regardless of individual answers, the total number of responses (131) attests to the vending machine’s popularity amongst the TABC students. It seems unlikely for that to change in the foreseeable future.