Caveat emptor. Students in need of a quick electrolyte fix should think twice before dropping a dime. Misleading advertising on at least one of the Powerade vending machines in the Rade Dining Hall might leave you thirsty and broke.
The $1.00 Powerade machine, located across from the elevator at the Rade entrance seems, at first glance, to be the best deal on campus. The machine depicts 20-ounce bottles at a price a full 25% cheaper than nearby options. But what comes out is not a 20-ounce Powerade, but a 12-ouncer.
In an effort to avoid a class action lawsuit, the Coca-Cola Company has cleverly written “12” in Sharpie marker over the 20-ounce designation on the photo. But, since many students prefer pretty pictures to reading fine print, more than one Wilcat has been burned by the 12 ounce baby bottle.
A 20-ounce bottle at $1.25 runs the saavy buyer 6.25 cents per ounce; the 12-ounce mini bottle for $1.00 will gouge you for a whopping 8.33 cents per ounce. Our suggestion: borrow the extra quarter from one of your bros and enjoy the refreshing taste of frugality. Alternatively, water from any of the numerous dispensers located strategically throughout campus will cost you no cents per ounce.
— John Gisser ’13 contributed research to this article.
