Where Did The Vending Machines Go?

Garrett Dewbre wanted to grab some peanut butter crackers during his 10-minute break between classes when he realized the food vending machines in the biology building were gone.

“I actually bought a Coke to get some sort of calories in me because I didn’t have a break between classes,” the senior biology major from Lubbock said.

All 89 food vending machines on campus were removed before the start of the fall semester due to a disagreement concerning how much Texas Tech would receive from sales, according to a document obtained through a Texas Public Information Act request filed by The Hub@TTU.

Coca-Cola and Powerade vending are still offered in the basement of the College of Media & Communication.

The document showed Custom Food Group, the vending machine company that had a contract with the university, requested a decrease in Tech’s commission from 22 percent to 13 percent. Tech countered at 20 percent. The company did not accept Tech’s counteroffer, and the contract was terminated.

Jim Brunjes, Texas Tech vice chancellor and chief financial officer, said Tech was unable to accept the Custom Food’s request “taking 9 percent from the commission and moving it to the company was a pretty big jump.” Tech’s revenues from vending machine sales are placed in an auxiliary fund and used for general university needs.

To find out whether Custom Food Group’s requested rate was reasonable, Tech sought contract proposals from other companies, Brunjes said.

“The vending machine company that we ended up selecting—they talked about a commission between 18 and 21 percent, so it seems like their reduction was out of line,” Brunjes said.

Brunjes said Gilly National was selected to start a new contract, and students can expect to see vending machines on campus again in the spring semester.

“The new vending machine company will offer healthy-food vending machines, which is something Custom Food did not want to do,” he said.

In the meantime, Tech is working to provide more food options in academic buildings., said Alan Cushman, manager of business development for Hospitality Services.

“There’s a long process to make sure the food service we’re putting in fits with the location, and a big part of that is working with the colleges and making sure the space is allotted,” Cushman said.

The locations of all dining halls are mapped on the Hospitality Services website.

Sam’s Express has eight locations on campus, which do not have the capability to cook on site, but offer drinks, chips, candy and grab-n-go items.

“A lot of people don’t connect that those grab-n-go items that are on campus are being made fresh on campus,” Cushman said.

If there is no Sam’s Express in a specific building, he added, food is still likely to be offered nearby.

“We have something open seven days a week from 7 a.m. until 2 a.m. the following morning,” Cushman said. “They may not be in academic buildings, but they’re pretty close.”