The area by maintenance dock and cafeteria has gotten a lot less crowded lately.

This is likely due the fact that Elk Grove’s vending machines were moved from the hallway by the maintenance dock into the far corner of the cafeteria. 

Many students were confused on why the vending machines were moved to a different location. Some students have attested to this. There are long lines that students have to navigate through while getting to the vending machines, especially with the lunch lines in the way.

But there are several students who were not pleased with the machines disappearing from their typical spot. 

“The cafeteria is also very small and gets crowded pretty easily so it’s nice to be able to go out and have that freedom,” junior Leann Shaya said.

Students like Shaya have argued that the vending machines should be put back in the maintenance dock hallway because it is important that athletes eat well after and before practices. 

“I think it was a bad decision because the lunchroom is locked at a certain time and many people that are in sports rely on those vending machines to have a snack before practice or a game,” Shaya said. “Since the vending machines are locked away in the lunchroom we are no longer able to do that.”

The Elk Grove cafeteria can get crowded very fast during its three lunch hours, so having the vending machines there cause lines to fill up quickly, especially with all the popular snacks in there such as Takis, powdered donuts, and Flamin’ Hot Cheetos.

A security issue with the vending machines in their old spot by the maintenance dock was students leaving the cafeteria to “go get snacks from the vending machines” and then never returning back to the cafeteria where students are supposed to be during lunch. Instead of getting snacks from the maintenance dock hallway, students would just wander around the school which defeats the purpose of the new rules in place.

“Kids were hanging out by the vending machines and were causing traffic in the hallway,” security guard Kathy Churchill said. “It kind of was a big cluster and in the way of everything.”