I agree he shouldn't tell them about the other potential job. I don't agree making up some story. They can ask away. If he makes it known from the get go he needs to be home for "personal reasons" and leaves it at that it never opens the door later if he does work for them as to why he may need to be home for this or that. Otherwise making up stories is difficult to keep them all straight. Who you said what to, etc.
Don't worry about the mega; there's at least 50 other companies that will hire you. If you take the local job you'll probably get burned out fast doing that same routine every day for low pay, but give it a try if you really want. Dozens of other companies just waiting for your application.
I would just tell them you need to delay the start a few weeks. If they ask why, I would just say that I realize I will be gone for a few months and want to make sure I have everything taken care of so I don't have to worry about it.
A more important question is why call a company a bottom feeder when you applied to it and accepted you for their ornamentation? (sorry the autocorrect is using that word) I would think that if you are applying to a company, you would know what your talking about instead of assuming what they are.
Yeah, if you've pushed it out that many times already, and try to push it again, they might tell you buh-bye and then you're screwed... Make #### sure you read any paperwork they throw at you so there's not locked in time you have to hang with them if Pepsi makes you a solid offer.
Also make sure that if you do get the offer from Pepsi you leave orientation soon enough that you don't get seen as a refusal for the drug test.
I would go through the entire process and then at the point where they are ready to hand you the comdata card and keys tell them you made a BIG mistake and won't be able to accept there job offer.