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Dining services takes out new system

Utah State University Dining Services has a new take-out service that caters to students in the Marketplace and Junction.

In previous years, students were unable to take out food out of the Marketplace and Junction. Last Tuesday at the Open Streets Festival the new “Take-Out Meals and Reusable Container Program” was introduced. Students now have the option to take food from the Marketplace and Junction if they are in a rush, have little time to dine in or have extra meal card swipe they want to use.

“I would have food for work, instead of getting a candy bar out of the vending machines, I can have real food,” said Vanessa Nieves, a freshman majoring in physics. “It’s cheaper and I can actually use my meal plan for it instead of just using it for the QuickStop.”

The idea came from Dave Chambers and Corey Cozzens. Cozzens is the head sous chef and chairman for Dining Services Sustainability program.

“I’ve been researching the project for quite a while,” he said. “I saw it at other universities. I sat down with our management team, drew up a business plan and researched containers that would work for our program.”

In order to use it, students have to pay a one-time fee of $5 to purchase a re-usable food box. After purchasing the container, they can purchase a meal with one meal plan card swipe either from a Traditional Meal Plan or a Block Meal Plan, which also has the cash-equivalency of $7.45. The cashier will then keep a receipt and I.D. card and students will have 10 minutes to fill their container with food. It also comes with disposable utensils.

“It’s a nice benefit from the food services,” said Scott Barnard, a liberal arts major. “Now that I know it’s an option, I’ll use it for days that I am running out of time or if the Marketplace is closing, so that I will have a meal after I’m done with work or other activities,”

Once students are done they can return their food containers to get them cleaned. If they choose to return the container, students will be given a token that proves that they have purchased the food container already and can cash it back in and get a new container.

Executive director Alan Anderson wanted a recyclable system going with their sustainability goals.

“The last thing we want are for these to end up in a landfill somewhere,” Anderson said. “We’ll see how well it works. So far we have five hundred containers. We will see if the students use it.”

The goal for the new program is not to make more money; it is about helping the customers.

“We want to provide memories,” Anderson said. “We have a bigger role than just serving food. We want students and faculty to have a fun college experience with us.”

If students will use the boxes remains to be seen as it is a new system.

“Depends on my mood; if I was in a hurry it’ll be more convenient,” said Jackson Murdock, a finance major, “like if I want to get a quick bite and don’t want to sit down and eat.”