Introduction/Conclusion

Introduction
For this project our group set out to report on the food options at the University of Colorado. We wanted to investigate how students felt about the food based on its quality, its price, and the overall experience of eating on campus. On such a large campus, there are a plethora of options when it comes to food, giving students a variety of choices for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. And the opinions were just as vast and diverse.

Conclusion

Through investigative techniques, particularly interviews, our group has come to the conclusion that student opinions on the food on campus are wide-ranging and unique. Some students we interviewed were very pleased with the food at CU, while others expected more. There were, however, some distinguishable patterns that became evident among students. According to the Facebook survey, as well as interviews conducted on the topics of economic pressures, management of campus dining, and CU’s comparison to other universities, we found that many students consider the food to be above average, but not spectacular. We also discovered that most students consider the varieties of options at CU to be a strength, while the quality of food tends to be considered more as a weakness. One issue that students stressed was the high prices of food.Many felt that quality of food was low, based on the prices they were paying.
The University of Colorado has made an attempt to improve the quality and experience of the food on its campus. The newly opened C4C and renovated Alfred Packard Grill in the UMC are strong examples of this. The University has clearly taken initiative to improve the dining quality and experience on campus. However, with the noted financial struggles it may take some time for students to feel some relief in their wallets. Nonetheless CU dining will continue to improve while providing service and meals to its students.

Overview of CU Dining Halls

What is Munch Money (academic year only)
* Munch Money is similar to a debit card account and is stored on your Buff OneCard. There's no need to carry cash or credit cards if you want some munchies, all you need is your Buff OneCard.
o 19 meal plan includes $150 Munch Money (per semester)
o 15 meal plan includes $200 Munch Money (per semester)
o 10 meal plan includes $250 Munch Money (per semester)

* Housing & Dining Services accepts Munch Money at these retail outlets:
o The Bakery
o WeatherTech Cafe
o Village Market at Williams Village (retail market)
o Zeller’s in Sewall (retail market)

* Munch Money does not carry over from one semester to the next and is nonrefundable. Munch Money cannot be used for future payments of any kind. When you run out of Munch Money you can't purchase additional Munch Money, but you can add Campus Cash.

Where can I eat
* Any of the four dining centers conveniently located across campus:
o Darley Commons
o Center for Community
o Libby
o Sewall
* PLUS any of the grab-n-go centers

More Information
* Most Popular Dining Hall

http://cuindependent.com/2010/03/07/which-is-the-best-dining-hall-on-campus/

*Dining Hall Facebook Page

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Boulder-CO/CU-Housing-Dining-Services/480315060088

* Youtube: Dining Halls on CU Boulder's Campus

Facebook Survey: Survey on Campus Food

http://www.facebook.com/note.php?saved&&note_id=173728125983029

Interview with Student Manager of Alfred Packer Grill: Erika

Q: What do you consider to be the main goal of the Alfred Packer Grill?
A: Our main goal is to provide a good atmosphere for students or anyone who comes into the UMC to study, eat, meet with friends or whatever it may be.

Q: The entire grill has been remodeled since last year what do you think has changed?
A: I think the all-around environment has changed. The grill is more organized with new venues and artwork. We are expanding our menu and striving for better quality food. We are trying to cater to peoples needs and provide vegetarian and gluten free options.

Also, last year we only had about 10 students working here and now this number has greatly increased. I think it is cool how many people work here and It is great that we can provide so many jobs on campus.

Q: What makes the Alfred Packer grill unique from other on-campus food service?
A: Well first of all the name. No other food place is named after a cannibal! We are connected to history and that is pretty unique.
On the business side of things Customer service is huge here. Everyday I see different relationships being made whether it be customer to employee or employee to employee. The personable environment is really strong here. We have a unique and more personalized touched.
-Also, I believe we have better quality food, with bigger menus, specials everyday, a well stocked salad bar, and a huge variety of foods to choose from.
-Another thing that makes the Alfred Packer Grill a great place to eat is the central location in the UMC. Whether you are studying or partaking in an activity on campus or even in the UMC the Alfred Packer Grill is easily accessible.
-Lastly, one of the most important factors that makes the grill unique is that not only is it student employed, but also student managed, and even funded by the student government. This is a unique business where you can go and eat and see your friends working and managing and get that personal touch because all students fit in at the grill.

Picture taken by Colorado Daily

How does the food at CU stack up against other Universities?

According to a Channel 7 story, http://www.thedenverchannel.com/education/23233642/detail.html ,CU regents recently voted to increase the price of housing and dining fees by about $400 dollars. The question then becomes, with a spike in costs are you getting your moneys worth when you eat at the dining halls? According to the website, Collegeprowler.com, the campus dining at CU is above average in every statistical facet. The overall grade of CU’s dining experience received a B, which ranks above 114 schools nationally, and below 105 others. According to a student poll, the variety of option on campus: including places to eat, as well as healthy and vegan options are excellent, while quality and value of the food received more average ratings.

http://collegeprowler.com/university-of-colorado/campus-dining/

In addition, students were interviewed on their experience with the food at CU. These students had transferred to CU from other colleges around the country including Loyola University, Marquette, and Colorado State University. Responses included:
-“The food at CU is not the best I’ve ever had, but it’s tolerable. While they offer a lot of options, the quality is not as high as other schools.”
-“ The food at CU has improved tremendously over the years since I have been here. However, I have been tremendously surprised by the food at other schools in the past. At the time the food at CU was well below par, but now it seems that they have made a huge leap.”
-“Loyola was significantly better in terms of dining hall food.” However, when it comes to the UMC, it’s a lot bigger and has a larger selection than the Loyola equivalent.”

Has the economy affected whether or not your eat on campus?

A survey asked 30 random people the following questions:

Has the economy affected whether or not your eat on campus?

If your answer is no, is it because when you eat elsewhere off campus, you are spending your parents money...and you don't care as much about there money as you do your own money?

If you had to spend your own money...would it affect where you ate? Why?

Here are the results:

18 out of 30=60% said the economy has effected where they eat. About 13 of these 18 students have meal plans to ensure they don’t overspend on food. The 6 of these students who do not have meal plans eat at the Alfred pack grill because they believe it’s cheaper. They almost never eat on the hill, unless it’s for a quick fix, when they aren’t eating at Alfred Packer, they are eating the groceries they buy.

30% said that the economy doesn’t affect them because they are using their parents money. Most of them said if they had to use their own money, they would probably eat on campus more.

Lastly, the final 10% said they spend their own money, but they choose to eat off campus because there is more of a variety and they believe they can make healthier choices.