Let’s say you’ve packed something to eat to take to school. You might have a water bottle in your backpack. Or, you might be one of those conscientious people who typically has some form of hydration with you most if not all the time.

Well then, good for you. But if you’re one of those people who likes to travel light, or you just happened to forget your drink of choice that day, or for whatever reason you do not have a beverage handy, you might think you can always just hit one of the many vending machines that populate all the convenient places on your beautiful Minneapolis College campus.

Well, it is true, Minneapolis College campus is beautiful but if you’re a student on the Minneapolis College campus, that vending machine idea just might be a crapshoot. You might be able to quench that thirst or you might not.

You just might want to take your chances at Mystic Lake, where you’re probably going to have better odds of finding a vending machine that actually has stock.

At Minneapolis College, you’ll find plenty of vending machines but instead of plenty of beverages to quench that nagging thirst or to knock out that tickle in your throat, you will most likely find plenty of empty spaces within the vending machine where the beverage should be but is not.

Julia Barrett, Max Prusak and Mihret Atherly are Minneapolis College students. They shared their thoughts about the vending machines while attempting to make a vending machine purchase:

Video by Scott Selmer

According to a business card posted on the front of some vending machines, they are managed and maintained by David Starnes Vending. Starnes was contacted by phone. He said he has a contract with the State of Minnesota and Minneapolis College. He did not want to talk about the kind of revenue he generates from the vending machines but said, “We do alright.”

He acknowledged the machines could be better stocked. Their focus is primarily on keeping stock in the machines located in Helland Center, Kopp Hall and Technology buildings, according to Starnes. That’s where most of the demand is.

Starnes said his business consists of himself and one other person. That person is tasked with keeping all of the campus vending machines stocked. The individual who stocks the machines comes every other day.

Starnes said he was working on improving the service.