I could see myself being really upset by this change. It’s not just about the cost of the soda - it’s also about convenience. Now if I want to have a soda at work I need to remember to keep change or small value bills in my wallet. And if one day I forget then I need to leave the building in search of a treat, or else just go without - in either case I’m annoyed.

And more than that it’s about feeling valued and respected. It can be really upsetting when something you’ve gotten used to is taken from you. Especially when you know the cost to the company is just a tiny fraction of the overall operating budget, and unlikely to make any significant difference to the bottom line.

Interestingly at my first job that I worked at, sodas weren’t free, and it never really bothered me. But if they had been free, and one day stopped being free, that would annoy me. I think there is an asymmetry between the satisfaction people get when they use a perk, and they dissatisfaction they get if you take it away.