Spring Break
MU eateries take hard hit because of meal plans
Rachel Crews
Issue date: 1/15/08 Section: News
For the past year, the use of student meal plans has been isolated to University Housing and Dining Services dining centers.
"We're trying to figure out how to draw in more students," said Michael Henthorne, director of the Memorial Union. "Without the business on campus students provide, these restaurants are suffering."
For the previous 16 years students were able to use their meal plan dollars to purchase food at the restaurants on campus, including Carl's Jr., Panda Express, Pangea Cafe and Woodstock's Pizza. The current change in student dining options will continue through the 2008-2009 fiscal year. This news is problematic for the MU restaurants, who have faced a decline in business this year. Woodstock's Pizza has already changed its business hours after finding it simply isn't profitable to be open.
"We've had to change to a Monday through Friday schedule," said Bill Heinrich, manager of the MU Woodstock's Pizza.
"The only people here on weekends live on campus. They're not going to pull money out of their pocket when they've already paid for their meal plan," Heinrich said.
Other restaurants are making adjustments as well. Dixon Cafe has changed its hours to try and draw in a breakfast crowd due to the decline in its evening customers. According to Robyn Vasale, food service director for the Memorial Union, Blimpie is thinking about changing its business hours to a Monday through Friday schedule as well.
"We want to provide a variety of options for everybody," Vasale said. "If the students can't use their meal plan dollars here, it doesn't make sense for the vendors to be here."
"It's too bad," Heinrich said. "It would be nice if there was a way we could all win. For now, the winner is [UHDS]. They're holding the student choice hostage."
Decisions regarding meal plans have already been made for this fiscal year. However, if businesses face more decline in profit, they are hoping for renegotiations soon, Heinrich said.
"Our contract is up this year," he said. "I don't know what we're going to do."
Rachel Crews, Senior Reporter
news@dailybarometer.com, 737-2231
"We're trying to figure out how to draw in more students," said Michael Henthorne, director of the Memorial Union. "Without the business on campus students provide, these restaurants are suffering."
For the previous 16 years students were able to use their meal plan dollars to purchase food at the restaurants on campus, including Carl's Jr., Panda Express, Pangea Cafe and Woodstock's Pizza. The current change in student dining options will continue through the 2008-2009 fiscal year. This news is problematic for the MU restaurants, who have faced a decline in business this year. Woodstock's Pizza has already changed its business hours after finding it simply isn't profitable to be open.
"We've had to change to a Monday through Friday schedule," said Bill Heinrich, manager of the MU Woodstock's Pizza.
"The only people here on weekends live on campus. They're not going to pull money out of their pocket when they've already paid for their meal plan," Heinrich said.
Other restaurants are making adjustments as well. Dixon Cafe has changed its hours to try and draw in a breakfast crowd due to the decline in its evening customers. According to Robyn Vasale, food service director for the Memorial Union, Blimpie is thinking about changing its business hours to a Monday through Friday schedule as well.
"We want to provide a variety of options for everybody," Vasale said. "If the students can't use their meal plan dollars here, it doesn't make sense for the vendors to be here."
"It's too bad," Heinrich said. "It would be nice if there was a way we could all win. For now, the winner is [UHDS]. They're holding the student choice hostage."
Decisions regarding meal plans have already been made for this fiscal year. However, if businesses face more decline in profit, they are hoping for renegotiations soon, Heinrich said.
"Our contract is up this year," he said. "I don't know what we're going to do."
Rachel Crews, Senior Reporter
news@dailybarometer.com, 737-2231
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