If you “gotta have it,” you can’t have it any more. The Residence Halls Food Service has decided to switch from serving Pepsi products to Coke products.

When the food service’s three-year carbonated beverage contract with Pepsi ran out in May, the food service began taking bids from Coke, Pepsi and RC.

Bill Welch, purchasing assistant of Purchasing, said Materials Management made the decision to accept the Coke bid. He said Coca-Cola really wanted the contract with NIU and offered the lowest bid of the three.

The food service began serving Coke products this semester and while it plans to dispense about 4,800,000 ounces of Coke this year, it also plans to save nearly $30,000 by serving Coke, said Ralph Chaplin, associate director of the Residence Halls Food Services.

According to Welch, Pepsi offered to continue its services with the residence halls for $49,000, while Coke offered to do the same job for about $19,000.

Student reaction to the change has been positive.

Karlene Olesuk, contract major and resident of Gilbert Hall, said although she isn’t a real Coke fan, it is better than Pepsi.

Niraj Shah, computer science major, said he also likes Coke better and he likes the change.

Replacing the family of Pepsi products, such as Hawaiian Punch and Mountain Dew, are other Coke beverages, including Mr. Pibb, Cherry Coke, Sprite, Minute Maid Orange soda, and Diet Coke.