By JW McNay/editor-in-chief
Dr. Pepper is out. Pepsi is in.
Pepsi is now the drink vending provider for the district.
Each campus will be updated with the removal of old vending machines and the replacement of the new ones over the upcoming weeks with all campuses targeted to be completed by the end of spring break, said Ray Allison, TCC interim contract administrator.
Students may notice missing vending machines when their campus is being updated because the transition will take place over more than a single day.
“Both vendors could not work on the campus on the same day, since it’s such a massive move,” he said.
Students can look for the changes to be on their campus near the end of the week and into the beginning of the following week.
“Since Fridays are so slow, we kind of had the idea that you can start on Thursdays,” Allison said.
The idea is to make the changes at a time that doesn’t interrupt students as much, he said.
South Campus is the first campus to start the update process with rest to follow in the order of NE, SE, TR and NW.
The decision to switch vendors was evaluated and made by team comprised of students, staff and some instructors, Allison said.
The committee reviewed five vendor replies to the request for proposal and gave scores to each bid, he said. The five vendors were Dr. Pepper, Coke, Pepsi, Gilly’s and Canteen.
Pepsi was given the highest score by the evaluation committee. Dr. Pepper had been the previous drink vending provider for last 10 plus years, Allison said.
When compared to the previous agreement with Dr. Pepper, TCC will receive slightly higher projected revenue from the Pepsi agreement, he said, adding that the evaluation committee’s decision was also based on product variety as well as other factors.
“How dare they,” TR student Hannah Hulme said in response to hearing Dr. Pepper vending machines are being replaced with Pepsi.
She said a lot of people like the drink, and the company being based in the state is another reason she said she is sad to see Dr. Pepper no longer be a option in the vending machines.
“Everyone in Texas is like, ‘That’s the main drink of Texas,’” she said.
NE student Shaun Nichols welcomes the change and might use the vending machines more after the change to Pepsi.
“Pepsi is far more superior than Dr. Pepper in my opinion,” Nichols said.
NW student Matthew Shoenfeld said he likes the convenience the new vending machines will bring.
“I don’t have to go to the bookstore to buy Pepsi anymore,” he said.
The new machines will include a variety of potential new choices including Pepsi as well as Mountain Dew, Aquafina, Starbucks bottled Frappuccino and Gatorade Zero.
Credit, Apple Pay, Android Pay and cash will be accepted in the newly installed machines.
