Monmouth is full of various delicious dining options. Students are able to grab meals from the dining hall, the student center (which consists of various tasty options), and even an on-campus Dunkin Donuts. But recently, students have started to notice a new machine in the student center. It reads Just Baked and is filled with various dining options in a vending machine style.
According to the Just Baked website, some food options are chocolate lava cakes, BBQ pork Baos, and authentic White Castle sliders. Needless to say, these options are definitely interesting. We brought this machine and its purpose up to our editors and discussed their opinions on this dinning option. Will this be something they will incorporate into their meals?
Most editors agreed that they would not engage with this machine. One editor stated, “No, I personally would not.” Another continued, “If it were food that could last in a vending machine, I’d be for it but I don’t see how cake, pork, and White Castle burgers can be stored safely for a long period of time. It seems to be just a grab bag of the most random food items.”
“I’m not sure I would eat food out of this machine. I think I would need the full information on how the food is being made, when it’s being made, and where it’s directly coming from,” another noted.
In contrast, some editors disagreed with the majority vote. “I’m not sure I would eat the food every day, but if the Food Court line is super long and I am in a rush, I might consider it,” one editor stated.
“I would eat out of this machine; The possibilities and options are endless for any palette,” another agreed.
While the food options inside the machine sound tasty, the most questionable aspect of it is the fact that the food is stored in a machine for an undisclosed amount of time.
One editor explained, “I don’t trust food that’s being stored and warmed in a machine. This is completely different from the packaged chips and snacks that we all know of. Now we’re talking about full meals being prepared in a machine, which just seems strange to me. I’m not sure how sanitary and healthy that is either.”
Another agreed, “I think food that does not need to be kept fresh or warmed in a vending machine, like chips, candy, etc. is different than food that has to be warmed in a machine. I don’t trust it.”
In contrast, one editor explains their opposing view. “I mean, I eat fast food once a week, so I can’t imagine this is any worse.”
Although vending machines are popular around the world, why did Monmouth decide to invest in this machine when there are plenty of food options on campus, and specifically in the student center?
One editor predicted, “I think it adds some variety but doesn’t take up a lot of room. Compared to adding another vendor in the Student Center, I think this was probably more cost-effective to get another option for students.”
“Maybe they wanted to try and help decongest the food lines in the student center food court since those get super busy during peak times,” another guessed.
“I’m honestly not sure what’s going through the school’s head regarding why they invested in this machine as opposed to the other options on campus,” another editor said. “Maybe it has something to do with saving time or giving students who are in a rush a quick option. But who would pick the machine food over Dunkin’ or Jersey Mikes? especially since we know the quality of those already.”
Regardless of our editor’s opinions, it seems as though this machine is here to stay. So, give it a try! If you think your stomach can handle it…
Sunday, February 23, 2025
