WRITTEN BY: Waleed Majid, Staff wrtier

Xavier’s famous Pizza ATM has been out of order since Jan. 26, and students have expressed mixed reactions about the malfunction. 

Installed in the summer of 2016, the Pizza ATM is a “vending machine that dispenses fresh pizzas in three minutes,” according to the manufacturer’s website. It made national headlines when it was installed on Xavier’s campus, and the machine continues to be introduced at establishments across North America. 

The past three weeks, the loss of the pizza vending machine has prompted conversations about the quality and quantity of the pizza it produces, but also its importance to the school. 

Junior Baylor McKinney expressed his nostalgic, yet disconnected relationship with the Pizza ATM. 

“I kind of enjoyed it in my first year, but as time goes on, you realize that it’s low quality pizza,” he said.  

He also noted that using the Pizza ATM is a defining experience in the first-year experience, and he claimed that he does not frequent the ATM because he “didn’t want to take it away from the first-years.” McKinney added  that one must be intoxicated in order to enjoy this pizza to its fullest.  

Director of Auxiliary Services Bill Moran said that the Pizza ATM’s current offline status is due to the machine’s cooler and refrigeration, and he isn’t sure when the savory service would be back. 

“We can only hope,” Moran said. “We replaced a part this past Thursday that we thought would correct the issue, but it did not, so our troubleshooting with the manufacturer continues.”  

Moran also stated that the possibility for the Pizza ATM to be permanently out of order is low. 

“Resources and timing have gotten in the way…the manufacturer is overseas, in France, so that creates some challenges,” he explained. “Parts, as needed, ship from Canada, so that (also) slows things down.”

While Moran is optimistic that the device will be back online in the near future, he admits that dining services are spread thin at the moment. 

“With recent unrelated emergencies on campus, our facilities and dining teams have been called into action to support other more pressing needs on campus,” Moran stated. 

When working, the Pizza ATM is located in the atrium of the Hoff Dining Commons to satisfy all students’ tasty temptations.