[IN PLAIN SIGHT] Ep.2 The Vending Machines

VENDING MACHINE. This picture features the vending machine outside the cafeteria. What’s your favorite item off of this vending machine? (Rita Li)

We all know that there are vending machines at SPA, but do we know what others think of them? In the second episode of In Plain Sight, freshmen Yassin Mokbel and Malcolm Adams voice their opinions on the vending machines.


Taryn Karasti: Have you ever been walking around SPA and seen something that made you wonder, but you knew nothing about? Have you ever thought about the secrets that the SPA building may be hiding, but never thought to investigate? Well, I’m here to help. My name is Taryn Karasti, and I’m on a mission to answer your questions and to get to the bottom of all these school secrets. This is: In Plain Sight. For today’s episode, I am investigating a question that involves the vending machines. We all know people use them, but do we ever know what they buy, or which location they go to? How about their thoughts on the prices and selections? That’s why I interviewed freshmen Yassin Mokbel and Malcolm Adams to find the answers to these questions.

How often do you use the vending machine?

Yassin Mokbel: I used to use it to get snack after school for practice. Or like if I didn’t like the stuff they were getting. But my car doesn’t work anymore.

Taryn Karasti: When you would use the vending machines, what would you usually get?

Yassin Mokbel: SunChips, the purple bag, I forget what they’re called…spicy lime. I don’t usually eat them outside of school.

Taryn Karasti: So what do you think about like the prices of the vending machine? Do you think they’re too high? Too low?

Yassin Mokbel: I don’t really have anything to compare them to, so I feel like they’re probably expensive, but like everything so is everything recently.

Taryn Karasti: And what are your thoughts on the selection as it is now?

Yassin Mokbel: I think it’s good, like I mean, obviously, it’s not the best thing possible, but there’s too many things you can never get the same possible…also some people like different things. So not everyone’s gonna be happy with whatever you have.

Taryn Karasti: Do you think that the vending machines could be improved or changed in any way?

Yassin Mokbel: Yeah. Probably add things I wouldn’t know what, or like how you’d do that probably change the selection or you can put them in different spots.

Taryn Karasti: Since the vending machine have like any problems or has it ever…?

Yassin Mokbel: The card, the card problem [they] changed the machine my card does not…I don’t know what it is, I think it’s like the type of card, it doesn’t like it. Or maybe it’s just my card is like dirty or something. But it works everywhere else. The Drake vending machines are good, they’re better. My card works on them.

Taryn Karasti: Those where Yassin Mokbel’s thoughts on the vending machines. But now let’s hear Malcolm Adams’s thoughts. How often do you use the school vending machines?

Malcolm Adams: Like once a week? Or when I have money?

Taryn Karasti: Do you tend to go to drink vending machines or food vending machines?

Malcolm Adams: Who uses the drink vending machines? Why not just use water? What’s the point of having a drink vending machine? You just literally buy drinks at like…there’s no reason to use my money instead of like buying snacks to buy drinks.

Taryn Karasti: Do you have a go-to snack at the vending machine?

Malcolm Adams: C-4, B-0, so like the sea salt and vinegar chips or the baked Lay’s cheese and sour cream flavor.

Taryn Karasti: And so what are your thoughts on the prices of the vending machines? Are they too high, too low, just right?

Malcolm Adams: I don’t care. I just every once in a while I have money that I spend it and then I’m happy and then I’m sad I have no money. You know, it’s the circle of life. I also like it when I put in $2 I just get a quarter back and it gives me a loonie instead, a Canadian loonie which is like, that’s just profit.

Taryn Karasti: So why does that irritate you?

Malcolm Adams: I don’t have that much money and I don’t have a job so I just slowly lose money to the vending machine over the year.

Taryn Karasti: But would you rate the vending machines on a five star scale?

Malcolm Adams: It’s a vending machine what do you expect? In terms of vending machines or in terms of food?

Taryn Karasti: Food.

Malcolm Adams: Like a three or a two. The vending machines aren’t supposed to be your primary source of food. In terms of a vending machine it’s like a 4.5. I made profit when I got back that money. That’s about as good as a vending machine can get. Except for those…see the…in Italy they have the vending machines where it just makes a pizza for you. That sounds great.

Taryn Karasti: Now, whenever you walk by the vending machines, you know what others like to buy and perhaps if you don’t already, you might be influenced to buy a snack of your own. Until next time, I’m Taryn Karasti, and this has been In Plain Sight