Dining options change as number of diners increase
Student meal plans are now more flexible, so students in a rush can grab a pizza pocket in The Quickstop and student looking for a relaxing, sit-down mean can enjoy a buffet in The Skyroom.
The expansion of choices accompanying meal plans has been a relief to the lunchtime rush in The Marketplace and Junction, said Alan Andersen, dining services director, because the number of students with meal plans has increased.
“Housing is as full as it’s been in many years. Demands on the Marketplace and Junction have been greater than ever,” he said.
Currently 1,400-1,500 students are actively using their traditional meal plans, which give each student a set number of meals to use every week. Meals that are not used within the week are not transferable to the next. This type of meal plan now allows students to eat in The Skyroom restaurant located on the third floor of the Taggart Student Center, said Amy Rasmussen, catering sales associate.
“My biggest concern in using The Skyroom is taking care of the waitresses up there. So far it hasn’t been a problem,” Andersen said.
Rasmussen said traditional meal plans are also allowed one transferable meal per day worth $4.50. These meals may be purchased in The Hub, Quadside Cafe and The Quickstop, Andersen said. Though The Quickstop is stocked with candy, ice cream other delicious treats, only foods with “substance” are accepted with a meal transfer, said Liz Bowerbank, a junior in elementary education and employee of The Quickstop.
“No mother in the world wants their child’s meal plan spent on M&M’s,” Andersen said.
Approved food items are labeled as such and include hot dogs, corn dogs, frozen burritos, soups, packaged sandwiches and salads and an assortment of other things. When students attempt to ring up candy with their transferred meal, the cash register will decline, Bowerbank said.
She said many students are satisfied with the ability to use The Quickstop for meals because it doesn’t require as much time waiting in line.
Though students are pleased with the change, Bowerbank said it would be less stressful for all those involved without the restrictions on acceptable meal plan items.
The decision to open both The Skyroom and The Quickstop began when USU housing decided to allow only summer conferences access to the Living and Learning Center, which decreased business for USU dining services. In response, dining services shut The Marketplace down and opened up The Skyroom to accommodate block meal plan holders. By making these changes, USU dining services totalled one hundred and fifty thousand dollars in savings.
Upon seeing the number of students purchasing meal plans this semester, dining services kept both accessible.
Like the traditional meal plan, anyone with a block meal plan has the opportunity to eat in The Skyroom, however, block meal plans do not accept meals in The Quickstop, Hub or Quadside Cafe. Anderson said this type of meal plan is ideal when taking guests to lunch and also ideal for those who do not want unused meals to go to waste at the end of the week.
Meal plans are up in price slightly this year, however, Allen said USU Meal Plans are one hundred dollars to five hundred dollars cheaper per person than University of Utah, BYU and Colorado State University.
– catherine.meidell@aggiemail.usu.edu