For the first time in years, North Atlanta students will be able to buy food from vending machines at their school. The administration has decided to incorporate snacks into this year’s vending agenda to compliment the sodas, energy drinks, and many other beverages that are already being sold within the building. 

The snack vending machines are located on the bottom floor of each academy stairwell (4th floor, 6th floor, 8th floor, and 10th floor), and some are placed right next to the beverage machines as well. They accept cash, credit/debit cards, and apple pay. The vending machines are locked during most parts of the day, but they are open before first period and in between class transitions.The business model for the vending machine is the same here at it’s in any school. An outside vendor – in this case A-Action Vending  – puts the machines here and collects the larger percentage of sales proceeds. North Atlanta, as the host of the machines, gets a smaller percentage (10%), that goes towards the school’s general funds.  

The snack machines have several healthy options, such as a variety of nutrition bars. However, they are mainly comprised of more popular junk food, including Oreo’s, Doritos, fruit snacks, and many other sweet treats. “Mr. Douglass decided in a meeting this summer that he wanted snacks to be sold this year, and Ms. Kaltman really helped make that happen,” said school custodian Jared Bross.

The custodians are refilling vending machines with snacks as often as possible, often weekly, but they are facing some early-on difficulties with restocking, due to difficulties with snack shipments and the unexpected popularity of certain snacks.

While it is easy to take these snacks for granted, vending machines have been banned in other schools around Atlanta in prior years due to vandalism. “I’ve seen some vandalism of school property at the schools I’ve previously worked at. As long as that doesn’t happen here, the snacks should be here to stay,” said Bross.

If there’s a building with 2,100 students in it, you can know this: There are a whole lot of people walking around hungry. So, let’s take care of them. You never know when you’re going to need some mid-morning Oreo’s to get through the day.