Sip Happens: What’s going on?
This semester, students have lost their cool; Stetson has made some big switches regarding their dining options. Deliberated at the administrative level, Stetson has stopped distributing Coca-Cola products or any of its subsidiaries, going all-in on their competitor, Pepsi-Co. This removes items like Coke-affiliated sodas, VitaminWater, Minute Maid, and more from shelves. Another big decision that was made was serving Starbucks drinks in the coffee shop that previously served local Barnie’s coffee. However, decisions like these are not made overnight.
The Age-Old Question: Coke or Pepsi?
Many people have opinions on whether they prefer one soda over the other, and it’s fascinating to look at the two ends of the spectrum. Some people care a lot, and others don’t have much to say.
When asked about her preferences between the cola conglomerates, Maya Hersh ’25 responded, “I know, personally, I don’t care about the drinks.” Despite her subtle indifference to the debate, she adds, “[But,] it’s a preference. I know a lot of people are upset because they like Coke better than Pepsi.”
Similar to Hersh’s take, Bray Kloznick ’25 adds that he also doesn’t particularly care about the switch from Coke to Pepsi, but he was confused about how silent the switch was. “I will say that the selection of drinks seemed slim when I looked at them in the fridge,” Kloznick said.“I went and grabbed one for my friend, Mikey, yesterday…he just asked me to pick him up a soda and I was looking for a Coke but I was so confused at the selection of drinks because it was Pepsi, Mountain Dew: Code Red, and Starry. That was strange.”
While it’s easily identifiable that some students may not care about soda or be indifferent and just confused about the switch, we have opinions like that of Kaitlyn Watson ‘25. “[I] overall, prefer Coke products to Pepsi products. So that’s a factor. But also, I miss the number of options we have when we still have the Coke products,” Watson said.
Local Brews to Latte Blues: “We Proudly Serve” Starbucks
There have also been hard feelings about the Starbucks switch. Kloznick, a big fan of coffee himself, elaborated on how he fears that students aren’t getting what they pay for with higher Starbucks prices. “I want to be able to enjoy what I can spend my limited amount of money on as a college student,” Kloznick said. “I’m paying out of pocket for a lot of my tuition, and I’m working a part-time job, as a full-time student.”
Hersh responded similarly and even divulged that she had dropped her meal plan after realizing it was “not worth it.”
When considering price and worth, one must consider the quality of a product and if they feel comfortable allotting their money towards said product. If a product is of a lower quality, it will objectively upset students if they are charged more than it’s worth; it is unconscionable to charge a premium for non-premium products. “I don’t feel good about buying coffee [from Stetson] anymore, because I’m paying more for worse quality coffee that I already am trying to be smart about spending my HatterBucks with my budget that I have,” Kloznick said.
With this switch, students also consider where this leaves them as consumers. Like Kloznick, Watson further notes dissatisfaction with the Starbucks affiliation. “It makes me upset because, with everything that is going on with Starbucks, I feel like it’s taken away some of my ability to make my own choices as a consumer,” Watson said. “Through Stetson, that’s kind of the only option we have, whereas, like before, we could have, like a coffee shop option that steps in that wasn’t the same as this big corporate chain that we can get anywhere.”
Food for Thought: From the Dining Services Perspective
After exchanging a few emails, Stetson Dining Services has agreed to provide a few statements explaining the switch. Here is what they said:
When asked why the switch occurred in the first place, the representative from Stetson Dining responded: “While switching from Coca-Cola to Pepsi affects campus dining, it’s important to note that the university made this decision, not Stetson Dining Services. When making decisions like this, the university evaluates various factors such as contract terms, campus partnerships, and broader institutional goals. Dining Services implements the change and works to ensure that students still have access to a variety of beverages to meet our community needs.”
When asked why Stetson made the switch from Barnie’s to Starbucks, I received: “The decision to transition from Barnie’s to the ‘We Proudly Serve’ Starbucks program was driven by student feedback and a desire to offer a nationally recognized coffee brand that aligns with student preferences for high-quality coffee and more non-coffee beverages. Starbucks has a strong reputation for consistency and quality, and this change allows us to deliver the premium coffee experience that our community has been asking for.”
When asked how they feel about these switches, Stetson Dining responded: “These changes reflect our ongoing commitment to enhancing the dining experience at Stetson University. We are excited about the high-quality products that Pepsi and Starbucks offer, which align with what many in our community are looking for. The positive feedback we’ve received so far indicates that students, faculty, and staff appreciate the variety and quality of the new offerings.”
When asked about the fewer amount of meal swipes compared to previous semesters, which is likely the most contentious question going around campus, they said: “We understand this change may not be ideal for everyone, and we’re actively working to find ways to balance the quality of the Starbucks experience with more flexible meal exchange options.”
Swiper, No Swiping: Meal Swipes, Food Insecurity on Campus, and More
Students are left with limited funds for campus dining after tuition, bills, cost of living, and class materials. Coffee shop and retail options rise in price every year and with the addition of the new “We Proudly Serve” Starbucks, prices have increased for both food and drink. With the price increase, there is also a decrease in meal swipe options. Ultimately, students have fewer options to dine year after year, semester after semester. Most stetson students are active on and off campus, with rigorous class schedules, extracurriculars, leadership positions, and even off-campus engagements, limited dining hall options and hours leave students with little to no options that won’t drain their wallets.
When asked to elaborate on her frustrations with the lack of options, Maya Hersh said, “I had a meal plan, but I had to cancel it since I live [off campus], and with my class schedule, I would only be able to go to the CUB for dinner twice a week… and that just wasn’t worth it to me.”
“The school just needs to figure out better options… they don’t really ask students what they want to have… they kind of, they kind of just decide for you,” Hersh vocalized further.
Watson describes her situation as follows: “As a college student, I often find it hard to cook for myself and get groceries in the time that I have between classes.”
Finding herself in a similar situation to Hersh, Watson has fully dropped her meal plan because of its inefficiency in providing for her needs. She continued, “Especially without a meal plan and with their limited on-campus options, it’s hard for me to make sure that I always have healthy food.”
For many Hatters, the transition from Coke to Pepsi and Barnie’s to Starbucks represents more than a brand shift. This switch reflects a much broader issue with choice, transparency, quality of dining and campus economy. Although there may be varying degrees of opinion on the matter, the debate continues. So what can you do, dear reader? Make your voice heard!
