Dining Changes Continue as Student Concerns Persist

Students eat lunch in the main cafe on Oct. 19. Though the main cafe was closed during J-Term, Chartwells attempted to emulate the “all-you-can-eat” model with “freebie” stations within the Roost. (Ian Murphy)

Student frustration over campus dining continued into J-term, with some students calling meal plans restrictive while others said the food options and hours worked well for them. As the debate carried from the fall semester into January, Chartwells plans to make changes to spring dining to address student concerns.

Last year, the Cafe and Roost were both open at  specific time periods. During J-term this year, the Roost served as the primary dining location and was open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Students living on campus for J-term cannot opt out of the meal plan but can choose between a 25-block plan for $405.30 or a 40-block plan for $703.50.

Sophomore Malak Aziz noted that while she liked the Cafe being open last year, the new hours allow for flexibility.

“It’s convenient,” said Aziz. “I like that it’s open from eight to ten … I know if I really need something, I can head down to the Roost, and it will be open.”

Freshman Ava Garret said if she had the option to live on campus during J-term without signing up for the J-term meal plan, she would have.

She feels she still has to grocery shop a lot. The food she buys outside of Elmhurst is both healthier and of better quality, while the meal plan is repetitive.

“I would open the Cafe,” said Garret. “I liked it better in the Fall when I could look at all of my food options instead of reading them.”

A major concern for students is the price and the inability to opt out of the meal plan. Aziz noted that through grocery shopping, she could feed herself a better quantity and quality for less.

“It makes no financial sense. I could go to the store for $200 and get actual food for a month, because I don’t eat that much. But here, it’s 25 swipes, which is less than one swipe a day,” said Aziz.

“So that’s what I do with my friends. We only go down to the Roost once a day at like 7 p.m.  for dinner. So really, it was not worth it. I don’t understand why they did it.”

While the company did not indicate that students could opt out or choose lower-cost alternatives, it emphasized added value through an all-you-care-to-eat model, complimentary items, and pop-up dining events during the shortened term.

If students are unhappy with the service, they can provide feedback through several channels. One option is Text to Text, a feedback tool that allows students to send real-time feedback directly to dining staff by texting a designated number, which alerts the full team, including dining management and staff. The system is used for quick issues such as missing condiments or unsatisfactory meals.

Additional feedback channels include the Dining Council, which includes campus leaders, and the Dine on Campus platform, which notifies on-site dining staff and senior administrators who can provide additional support if needed.

Aziz noted how, throughout campus, she has noticed QR codes linking to surveys posted to provide feedback.

 “I have done a survey…. I did them at the end of the fall and spring semesters last year. I think they listen to those. I’ve also suggested adding more Halal food or more variety, and they did those things,” said Aziz.

As part of Chartwells’ continuing “You Spoke, We Listened” campaign, the spring semester dining experience will once again change to cater to student feedback.

This spring, the campaign will introduce several updates, including expanded hours. The gap between lunch and dinner will be removed, with select stations remaining open during those hours, such as the grill, deli, and salad bar. The grill will also be open at dinner, so that more protein options will be available.

A new Italian station will offer expanded pizza and pasta options, along with additional protein choices. The café will feature more Mexican and made-to-order noodle options and improve its smoothie offerings downstairs.

Students will receive a newsletter inviting them to try the new spring selections when the changes take effect this semester.

“I like that they made an effort. It’s nice to see that they’re listening—it’s not that all of this is in vain,” said Aziz. “But, I don’t think they will listen to everything that we want. They won’t ever have people pay less for the meal plans, because that’s how they make a lot of their money.”