This semester, Sodexo dining services has altered the on-campus menu by lowering prices across all Night Owls and picking several new food providers.
According to John Enright, director of residential dining, the prices in Night Owls are now equivalent to daytime dining hall prices, meaning many items cost nearly half of what they used to.
“The reason we made the decision is that students were kind of getting confused,” Enright said. “They didn’t understand why it was a retail price at night and why it is a board plan during the day.”
According to Enright, the prices were originally higher because they accounted for labor costs that would normally be covered under a residential meal plan. Dining services slashed the cost by adjusting the meal plan fees students already paid.
While Enright said the quality of the food had not changed, he also said that the number of transactions increased.
“Last year, the prices were really too high,” said Reuben Pena, an undeclared junior. “But now I can actually buy what I want. We probably end up going four days a week, so this is definitely a boost.”
Joseph Powers, a sophomore majoring in accounting, said that he worried the change would make student traffic unsustainable.
“I preferred the prices of Night Owl high,” Powers said. “It shortened demand and I could get in and out. Now when I go to Night Owl for dinner I’m forced to wait.”
However, Enright said that if Night Owls become overcrowded, dining services will consider having more employees working at night. He also said that, in addition to Night Owl price changes, the dining halls are changing several providers due to student demand.
“I’ve been on campus for 16 years, and at least for 10 of those 16 years I can remember students saying ‘Well, why can’t you get Boar’s Head?’ and we were never allowed to purchase it,” Enright said. “This year was the first year we were actually allowed to.”
Because of the change, each dining hall has now switched over to weight-based pricing as opposed to portion-based pricing.
Enright also said that dining services have switched to a new beef patty provider, based on reviews received in person, online and at the Student Culinary Council, which works with Sodexo to voice student opinions on food services.
“When we did the grill menu for regular resident dining this semester, we upgraded to a fresh, New York state home-raised beef patty, whereas in the past we used a frozen beef patty,” Enright said.
Enright added that because of a new company-wide policy, dining services would begin to use eggs from cage-free chickens. However, because of high demand nationwide, the eggs would be phased into the College-in-the-Woods and Appalachian dining halls first, in the form of whole eggs, before spreading to all kitchens in liquid egg form.
“We serve 15,000 meals every single day, so the product line has to be in and available for us to make that switch,” Enright said.
Students like Jesse Toder, a senior majoring in industrial engineering, said the changes improved the overall quality of the dining halls.
“Considering how insane the prices were before, it’s great now,” Toder said. “Two dollars for a milkshake and $2.60 for chicken wings is actually worth it. I live off campus, but when I’m [on campus] I will definitely think about coming here more.”