Since the start of the 2024-2025 school year, Westford Academy’s vending machine, owned by Food on Earth, has been reported for numerous reasons such as not working properly by not accepting money. WA has recently taken action to replace and fix these machines and is on a path to ensure all student vending machine use runs smoothly.
According to Main Office employee Colleen Wallace, the official complaint stating the machines were not reliable was emailed to her on Thursday, Nov. 14. Although, throughout the past few years, there have been momentary or fixable issues, there were persistent difficulties with these vending machines lately, specifically with the vending machine near one of the entrances to the main gym.
“I immediately contacted the office manager at Food on Earth who assured me that on Monday, Nov. 18th, the issues would be addressed,” Wallace said.
One common complaint from students was that they would pay for their food and the transaction would go through, fully charging them, but the vending machine would then malfunction and the food they purchased simply would not be given to them.
Since this complaint was first issued, Food on Earth’s vending machine tech has visited the school to look at the machine and has been able to identify the issue, as well as give the school a whole new vending machine.
“We gave [WA] a new vending machine because it is a big school and we wanted to make sure you guys had a machine that was up to date,” Food on Earth employee Linda Vecchiarello said. “Some of the equipment in the machine requires really strong internet connection and WA’s cell connection is not the strongest. So, we’ve had to make even more upgrades in the machine, and that upgrade consists of new […] cell chips that they’re putting into the machines to help them get connected easier.”
If a student’s Apple Pay or card transactions are charged without being given a product, they will be automatically refunded and receive their money to their account through their bank. However, there is now a new solution from Food on Earth for cash transactions that do not go through. Students will be able to scan a QR code put on the vending machines to access a Google Form. On this form, students will input personal information as well as details about their failed transaction, and soon after will be able to go collect the money they lost in the main office.
WA has been using vending machines from Food on Earth for the past few years. Beforehand, the WA Food Service would stock the vending machines, but as the food service rapidly expanded and the internal maintenance of the machines became more difficult to keep up with, the school had to bring in an outside party. This is when WA signed a contract with Food on Earth to furnish, maintain, and stock the vending machines.
The money students spend on the vending machine goes back to Food on Earth, but the WA Food Service Department also receives a commission of this due to their contract due to United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) requirements.
“USDA guidelines stipulate that all food and beverage available to students during the course of the school day must come from or be overseen by the Food Service Department and competitive vendors are not permitted,” Wallace said. “This is why we have a commission based arrangement with Food on Earth.”
