Originally posted by IUPNation
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So, on one hand, I get it. They want to use a meal swipe for more "a la carte" options, but the meal swipe no longer covers that option, and the price now requires them to use flex dollars. What they probably fail to realize is that for the meal swipe to cover all of these a la carte options they desire to purchase with a traditional meal swipe, the cost of their basic meal plan would go up significantly. It sounds like IUP has gotten much better at the inclusion of other dining options on campus being able to work with a meal swipe, or meal swipe + flex. Dining there has changed a lot since I graduated in 2015. That said, I can argue that some of the stuff they are presenting shows they are changing for the better. What Folger's used to be when I was there was mostly all flex. They had a pizza place, burger place, and a salad spot, in addition to a Starbucks. The entire building was all Flex. They opened up "North Dining" my junior or senior year and that spot was 50/50 in terms of offerings where you could use a meal plan. The HUB and Fosters were about the only two spots that you were guaranteed to be able to effectively utilize a meal swipe.
I would also challenge the "post-it note" sized sandwich. It sounds to me like they are describing what used to be called a "bagged lunch" at IUP. In fact, that was the best option on campus through the week for lunch. The sandwich wasn't huge, but it was a lunch sized sandwich on a small hoagie bun (you had your choice of ham, turkey, roast beef, or tuna salad). You got a bottle of water or can of pop, chips, cookie, and a piece of fruit. For $6.20 meal swipe, that's a pretty good deal. They had them available in about 3-4 different spots around campus, one of them inside Pratt or Wallwork.
The real conversation is that most universities seem to be navigating away from the all you can eat dining option. That's happening everywhere. As the article suggests, there are staffing issues galore that are changing the way hospitality services have to operate. Fewer people are inclined to eat at a buffet post-pandemic as well. And I'm sure food costs are astronomical at universities, and the likely waste associated with it makes it an unprofitable venture.
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