Finance and Planning Committee

I have been very recently designated the Food Service Director for the St. Paul Campus. We here with ARAMARK had seen that there were several issues with services, and had been planning that transition. The response from the faculty and press has served to accelerate the process. As of now, I am "the guy" to talk to about any food issues on the St. Paul Campus. My overall mission is to reconstruct the operations to best fit the desires and needs of that particular community.

Personally, I have had a long history (15 years) of involvement with Food Services on campus, and have previously overseen some past aspects of food in St. Paul (among many other past lives here at the "U").

At this time, the greatest need I have is to be put into contact with anyone and everyone who has a concern or desire to express about food in St. Paul, so that I can begin to assess the needs of the community -to bring them the services that will fulfill the most needs. From your contacts, I would appreciate you either sharing names of appropriate parties I should be talking with, e-mail addresses, or would ask that you forward this message on to others, who then may wish to respond to me directly.

My immediate goal will be to assemble a St. Paul Food Advisory Group out of concerned faculty, staff, and students that can serve as focus point for us to work together to provide the most appropriate range of services. We will also be conducting more traditional surveys, focus groups and other assessments. I foresee the Advisory Group as being a communication conduit back to the community about results, plans and directions, to provide a much more efficient feedback mechanism for us. I hope to change the way information is gathered and acted on via this direct involvement with our clients and customers.

In addition, I will endeavor to bring a face and a much more personal contact to people on that campus. These operations aren't being run by remote control from Philadelphia, and it's my job to make sure people know who to talk to if they have a concern.

Any assistance you can provide in my efforts to get the "word" out about this new direction would be appreciated.

I spent 10 years at an English boarding school and consider the food offered here at the U the equal, indeed often worse, of any I experienced while at school! When I visit other institutions I am only reminded how poor is the food on campus. The food offered at the Terrace is remarkably unattractive, is typically of a "mushy" consistency and is mostly fat and carbohydrate with minimal taste. And this ends up costing more than if I go off campus for lunch. I would never take a visiting faculty recruit to the Terrace for lunch - we would never be able to recruit them!

Something has to be done - we are destroying the one place we have social interactions on campus.

Thanks for the opportunity to comment on food service on campus. Personally, I am dissatisfied with the options for eating on the St Paul campus and bring a bag lunch to work. Also, I am currently chairing our departmental seminar committee and have the responsibility of arranging for lunches on seminar days to give our faculty a chance to visit with seminar speakers. Since we don't feel that we have good on-campus dining options for these events, we order box lunches from Nelsons. I have heard several colleagues, who now bring bag lunches to work, that quality has gone down and prices have gone up during the last year.

Finally, colleagues who work at the Earle Brown Center tell me that the food service group (now Aramark employees) at Earle Brown is almost always understaffed and that they have difficulty meeting customer needs because there aren't enough people working to serve food and wash dishes.

Unfortunately, my comments are not very positive. I have been very unimpressed with the food quality, food diversity and quality of customer service of Aramark in the St. Paul Student Center. since it took over the University Food Service.

Previously, University Food Service provided a somewhat diverse menu, somewhat quality and excellent customer service from the employees. Aramark food often looks so bad I don't even consider eating it.

Examples:

* Sloppy-joes served with grease just floating on the surface - this never occurred under the U of M.

* Gravy on top of a casserole that's actually solidified and cracked.

* Previously - 1/2 subs could be purchased. This is no longer possible, as only full subs are available. Many staff have complained about this, as this is simply too much food and a needless expense.

* Lettuce in the salad bar is often wilted and discolored. Some salads are hard on top - as the bar doesn't seem to be cooled with anything.

* In short, the food is simply very poor quality, too expensive for the value received, and I don't think it's of very high dietary value either.

As stated above, customer service is poor. Examples include:

* An Aramark employee put a new bin of full food in the serving line and pushed in all the food that had fallen out of the previous bin into this new bin - that's simply unsanitary.

* An Aramark employee dropped some food on the floor and simply kicked it under the counter.

* I have witnessed a couple Aramark employees being less than courteous to students or staff in the line.

In summary, I am absolutely not impressed. If anything, the quality of food in the St. Paul Student Center has plummeted since Aramark took over. Since it's harder for employees and students to get off campus here, the poor food quality should be of considerable concern.

This note is in response to the meeting regarding the Aramark Contract for food services. Although I will not be able to attend the February 2 meeting, I wish to share my assessment of Aramark food service," It stinks!!!". The selection and quality have decreased dramatically, while the prices have increased out of proportion. Customers are being lost from the St. Paul Campus Terrace Dining Room and will not return. I was a frequent customer there but will not return. On two occasions I have made suggestions and placed them in the suggestion box but have had no response. The service and quality or Aramark are completely unacceptable. The Senate needs to recommend a change in vendors.

I have been told that Aramark did not take into account the need of Women's personal hygiene products in the Women's bathroom on our campuses. I feel this is very inconsiderate and not meeting the needs of women on the campuses. I know specifically that we do not have products in our newly renovated Haecker Hall and the new St. Paul Gym. Can someone address this with Aramark or other University officials?

Actually the food on the St. Paul Campus was better before the change.

Cafeteria---Sandwiches not as good. Seems like some of the prices have gone up. Maybe when I have had the pizza it has been later in the noon sessions---but it seems older---like it has been standing around too long. Thus, I quit going as often.

Cherry Wood Room---I have only been there once ---too expensive for lunch. One time I was going to bring someone there and it was closed (Friday)---so we went down to the cafeteria

I am on the St. Paul Campus, and as you are probably aware, the Student Center is really the only place to eat on this Campus. There are no other food choices available within walking distance. Therefore, it is very important to have quality food service at the St. Paul Student Center.

I have been on many other College Campuses, and I can say without a doubt that since Aramark took over the food service on the St. Paul Campus, it is the WORST I have ever seen. The food choices are very limited, prices have increased, and food is not always available during the lunch hour. There have been many times that I have been there at 12:30 p.m. and there is NOFOOD left. What is left is not worth eating. I am embarrassed to take visitors to our College there to eat. Also the service is very slow. I have waited in line for over 10 minutes just to pay for my meal!

I recommend that the contract with Aramark be terminated and that we get someone else who is able to provide a quality product for our faculty, staff, and students, not to mention visitors to campus.

The prices are beyond belief and the quality and selection of items on the menu have declined since the conversion. I and several of my colleague still eat in the St. Campus Student Center in order to get out of our offices and enjoy some casual time, but we have all invested in lunch containers and bring all of our own food and drink from home. It also seems to me that the workers in the serving lines and at the cash registers have an "attitude" that serving the customer is not the reason for their job. They are very often impolite and rude to the customers in the line.

The quality of food served in the Terrace Cafe has decreased somewhat and the variety of selections has decreased significantly. It's becoming hard to find anything worth eating there. On the contrary, the food in the Cherry Wood room is significantly better, but it's also significantly more expensive.

In my opinion, this move has had a negative impact on the food service at the U.

Food services on the St. Paul campus have deteriorated to a point where they are an embarrassment to the University. Throughout the fall quarter garbage cans were overflowing and waste accumulated around them. May visitors attending conferences at the University visit a conference room and the food services area and every garbage can overflowing and food waste on the floor becomes their strongest memory of the University.

The menu has decreased and in the case of subs it is no longer possible to purchase 1/2 of a sub. Many of us only need and want a half of a sub!

I teach, collaborate with colleagues, and carryout my research work on both Twin Cities campuses. However, my office and my laboratory are on the St. Paul campus. I have also had the opportunity to work at other State Universities and in industry. I am appalled at the very poor food service choices on the St. Paul campus. Not only is the food that is available on campus expensive and sub- standard in quality, but there are few choices as to where to eat. This very poor situation is amplified because the community immediately surrounding the campus does not have an adjacent commercial district. The many restaurants available to the Minneapolis faculty and students do not exist in St. Paul. I cannot take the time to take the bus to Minneapolis just to eat lunch. It is very embarrassing to invite visitors to the University to have lunch on the St. Paul campus. It requires that I have my car on campus so that I can take them to lunch, which costs me money and time that would be better spent elsewhere.

I consider myself at a significant disadvantage to my colleagues that are fortunate to have their offices and department in Minneapolis. I really feel like I am being treated like a "second class" Professor at Minnesota. My undergraduate and graduate students also feel this and we have discussed this frequently while eating together at the St. Paul Student Center.

What needs to be done is that the University needs to lease St. Paul campus space to commercial food servers such as Bruggers, Caribou Coffee, etc. or fast food restaurants. A small commercial food "court" needs to be created in the Student Center or at some other location on the campus since the community does not provide adjacent commercial space. This can be done; it is done on other State University campuses. The students, visitors (don't forget the large number of FFA!), and faculty need more choices, much better quality food, facilities adequate to handle the large number of visitors that sometimes occurs on this campus because of special meetings, and lower food prices. We need to feel equal to our colleagues who are fortunate to work on the Minneapolis campus where there are many on-campus and off-campus opportunities to take University guests.

No serious complaints, but since you asked:

Food served in the SPC Student Center since the change has not been pleasant and/or acceptable in presentation and/or the choice and quality of food available and increased costs.

Several of us bring our food from home.

I used to eat at the St. Paul Student Center on a regular basis. However, lately I only go there if I am desperate. Since Aramark has taken over, the prices have gone up, the quality of the food has declined, and often when I am looking to grab a bite to eat after 1:00 p.m. there is little left to chose from. I think the University food service was better serving the community prior to being contracted to Aramark.

A comment from the St. Paul side on the service at the St. Paul Student Center.

My lunch-bunch colleagues and I all feel that since the change-over the service at the only food facility provided on the St. Paul campus is much worse. Choices are more limited and prices have greatly increased. This is obviously not a good way to make the customers happy.

These comments are with respect to the Terrace Cafe on St. Paul Campus. I used to eat there a couple times a week. No more. The food prices went up rather dramatically. That was no surprise. For example, they used to have a deli section where you could get a sandwich (heated if you like) with chips or carrots. Post Aramark, the sandwich got smaller, the price went up, the chips and/or carrots became an extra cost item, and the heating/toasting option disappeared. Such is progress.

OK, try something else. Their entrees are generally served lukewarm. I'm sure that if the health department checked they would find that the holding temperature was not in the safe range. Oh, and if you want a breadstick with your cold spaghetti that will be an extra $.70. They serve pizza (also not very warm) with a dry, cardboard crust. (In fairness, they served the same lousy pizza pre-Aramark.) Yucky. Oh, and a cup of water is $.10.

The food was typical cafeteria pre-Aramark, mediocre to good, but you could get a good hot meal some days. Now it is a disaster.

Food service is the pits on the St. Paul campus, both with respect to quality and price. I have stopped using the Student Center except in emergencies. I go out for lunch.

Your inquiry comes at an opportune time. The Rhetoric Department in St. Paul has just had a series of faculty candidates in, and we have been having lunch in the St. Paul Student Center. My overall impression is that the food service is not good: the choices are limited to typical "fast food" fried stuff, the prices are high, and the quality not great (rather cardboard tasting). It seems to me that things were better with the previous service.

It's an embarrassment to take people to lunch here on the St. Paul campus. The Cherry Wood Room is constantly changing its format, and the current $7.00 buffet is overpriced for what you get. And, when Cherry Wood is closed, we end up taking guests through the student lunch line, which is even worse in terms of selection and ambiance. I'd love to see the St. Paul campus have a formal, professional faculty dining hall (with choice in terms of cost and type of food)--comparable to what you find at other major research institutions. Especially here on the St. Paul campus, where we study food and agriculture, this seems important.

I am not very pleased with the food service on the St. Paul Campus particularly the Student Union cafeteria. The main complaint is that the food is too expensive. I thought that there ought to be more of a service than profit making environment. I can get milk and muffins cheaper, one from the milk machine and the other at any store. Chet Mirocha. However, I am glad you asked.

I once used the Terrace Cafe on a fairly routine basis. Since Aramark took over, I rarely use that facility. I find that the prices are too high and that there are too few choices for those interested in a low-fat, healthy diet. As an example, the sub sandwiches made to order we previously available as a half sandwich, which was a good size for me. They are now available only as a whole sandwich for a considerably higher price. I have written comments and put them in the suggestion box (along with my e-mail address) but have never received any reply from Aramark. In my view, Aramark is not doing a good job with the Terrace Cafe in St.

As a member of the St. Paul campus for a good 20 years, I and I would say a fair number of my colleagues have never been extremely happy with foodservices on our campus. It has been uneven for quite a number of years, improving occasionally, but usually sliding down the scale to where it is now....at the very bottom.

Here are some of the reasons:

We do not have a campus club (for faculty). We do not have a place to relax, joke, meet other colleagues, etc.

The Cherry Wood Room has been reasonably good over the years...but always changed as different styles of food and service were tried. It occasionally succeeded...but seems to lack atmosphere (because it is a old, out-dated, dumpy kind of place) and a wide selection of food. Prices did seem to be matched to the quality of food though. I would give it a 20year grade of B.

The St. Paul Student Union food is another story. It seemed to be declining precipitously in terms of quality a few years ago, then improved slightly after a lot of faculty complaints. However, when Aramark took over, it went straight to the bottom faster than the Titanic. It is now very poor for all the usual reasons that people are not satisfied with an eating establishment: a) food quality is very poor...food buyers appear to be buying the lowest quality food they can purchase; b) selection is very poor with only a few hot dishes on the menus; c) quality of sandwiches is very poor; d) service is an up and down the ladder - VERY long lines at the cash register at noon when faculty have to eat in a hurry - scales that don't work in the check out line to weigh salads - poorly trained cashiers - soup containers that are often either empty or have uncooked ingredients in the soups (I had potato soup about 3 weeks ago in which many of the potatoes were raw!) - prices are too high (4 to 6 bucks gets one a bowl of soup and a slice of bread about like what a man might get in prison) - tables are ALWAYS filthy (faculty have to wipe down the tables just to sit down and eat which makes a great impression on the international visitors I bring to campus) - cheap ass plastic ware spoons, forks and knives to eat with - cold tasteless pizza - trash on the floor especially newspapers and napkins almost anytime near noon - a really dismal and dirty dish drop off area often overflowing with dirty dishes and trash - student workers who are ungracious and seemingly poorly trained.

After all of the above complaints, I should say that I am not a fussy person. I have traveled around the world and eaten the most unusual foods in the world in grass huts with dirt floors. I only EXPECT much more from a prestigious university…and demand it.

One of my colleagues said it best: "I would NEVER eat at the Student Union except for the fact that I am a captive on the campus because their is no other establishment to which I can walk and get a bite to eat." I agree. I ate my last bowl of crummy soup today...until I hear that the management, service, and food quality have improved. I guess I will grab a bag of chips out of a vending machine. I can be sure of the quality and service if I go that route.

I give a solid grade of F to the Aramark operation in the Union.

Food in the St. Paul Student Union is (seems?) to be both more expensive and far lower quality than that in Coffman Union.

I greatly miss the high-quality frozen yogurt you had at Coffman last year!

I have not spoken to anyone who is pleased about the food service on the St. Paul campus. Many people believe that one of the things that was done in the Cherry Wood Room was to prove that it will not be economical to operate. The example is the standard price or minimum price for whatever you eat. Secondly, we now have no place in the Student Center as I understand to take a small group for lunch in a private room, these are frequently international guests, review teams, distinguished lecturers from other universities or individuals interviewing for a position. If this is true and I believe it is, it is a very sad situation. Finally, they had the audacity to remove our penny dish from beside the cash register. What is the reason for removing this convenience? Based on what I have heard, they had better reevaluate some of the things they are doing. In general I have been happy with the quality of the food in the Terrace Cafe, where I frequently eat. I hope this is helpful.

The Cherry Wood Room on the St. Paul campus has not improved even though we have participated in several sessions with them.

The food service in the St. Paul cafeteria after the change is too expensive and poor quality. There is also less choice available. I think the university should find a way to offer, quality, affordable (by students) service. Nowadays, it is less costly to go outside and have a sandwich than in our cafeteria.

Regarding the Food Service at the Terrace Cafe on the St. Paul Campus since the switch…there are fewer choices, the cost is higher, the quality is lower, and the service is slower.

Even though it is inconvenient, I have been bringing my lunch from home more often.

Food service in the Cherry Wood Room in St Paul is a disaster!!! The quality of the food is excellent. But there is no choice--one set menu for $7.00 at lunch. The menu consists of soup, salad entree, side dishes and desert. There should be three choices. Soup and salad and full lunch with and without desert. The room is half empty most of the time. Under the old regime the food was bad. But at least when one went over thereat lunch one could find colleagues to eat with.

I am sure by now you have many comments about the poor foodservice at Terrace cafe. I will add my 2 cents. My problem is basically, poor food quality for more money and very bad staff attitudes. I used to purchase half deli sandwich daily, coffee and cookie. I stopped about a month ago. In the past the meal was usually adequate for lunch since it came with carrots, chips etc. I was surprised to find that it no longer did with the new service and was now costing me extra. The soup comes in smaller disposable containers. Most of my colleagues felt that we were being held ransom since this was the only foodservice on STP campus (except Earl Brown center). It is conveniently located and accessible through tunnel system. We now have to walk to a Cafe/coffee shop to get something. Would be nice to have some upgrading in the foodservice, economical meals and staff who show some pleasant attitudes when dealing with clients.

I feel I must make comments regarding my observations on food service since Aramark took over. Mine are, unfortunately, all negative. I usually only purchase coffee from the food service and find a great deal of inconsistency among the units. The only consistency I find is in the rather poor quality and high prices charged for an inferior cup compared to say Dunn's. The only location you can get Hazelnut daily is Coffman. It used to be you could in St. Paul where I work, but now it seems they have it only one day. So I now get off my 52 express bus on the east bank rather than the west which would be more convenient (if I could just dash in to Blegen, get my Hazelnut and on the first Campus Connector, waiting inside the heated entry). Instead I get off, run into Coffman where there is often a long line and wait for people with special coffee orders so I can pay for my self-serve refill. Some days they do have a separate register for that, but usually not. This takes a while, then it's back into the cold to wait for the Campus Connector. Also, at Coffman they give double stamps on Tuesday and Thursday, in St. Paul only on Friday. It would be a lot more convenient for me if I could count on having plain Hazelnut in St. Paul daily and get the double stamps on two days rather than one. I also do not like the refund system for the vending machines where it is difficult to phone in a refund request (I don't have time to bother walking over to the Student Center if the COB machines fail me, if I did, I would have gone there in the first place). There should be a phone number posted on all machines and willing people at the other end to take refund requests.

I formerly ate lunch about 4 times a week in the student cafeteria of the St. Paul Campus. I now eat there perhaps once a week because: the prices have increased at least 25% per unit of food of the type I ordered, the variety is down, and in a number of cases the quality is lower.

Here are some comments on the St Paul campus dining service -which is the only UMN service with which I am familiar.

The prices have gone up by what seems like about 30%. The temperature of the hot food has decreased to luke warm. The selection of items has greatly decreased -- especially of healthy lower fat entrees. The service has gotten worse and there are often long lines and the cashiers have gotten less experienced and slower with time.

I used to eat there almost everyday. I now bring my own lunch and only eat there when I have to.

The St Paul campus has no commercial restaurants -- fast food or otherwise -- within easy walking distance and so the cafeteria is the only place to eat on or near campus. It was better before Aramark.

The new Cherry Wood room does seem OK -- but I have only eaten there once so far as I don't often want a $7 buffet.

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the food service here at the university. After being here for more than 20 years I have seen the foodservice continually go down hill. In all honesty, if a place was close to campus I would never eat at the St. Paul Student Center again. This is the sentiment of many of my colleagues as well (many are bringing bag lunches as it is so bad). There are less people eating in the St. Paul campus dining hall/student center than ever before. The new contract people, Aramark, have managed to lower the quality of food to a level I thought was impossible. The menus are the same as before but the quality is lower and prices are higher, a nice combination! I think it would be a better choice to put in food courts with a variety of food items, from pizza to chinese like many malls have. This would provide people with a wider variety of food items at prices at least as they are now. Poor food vendors would be forced to increase quality or go out of business. The space could be rented to them on an annual basis. This is just one way it could be accomplished. It is very sad that a major University, such as this, has such poor quality food services available to people on campus. Yes it will change, it can only get better, as I don't see how it can get worse.

The quality of food declined since it was taken over by Aramark. There is little variety in the menu. In the past there was an excellent entree every day but now there is pasta day in day out. St. Paul Student Center cafeteria is less busy then before. I think that brown bag from home is getting more popular.

Here is some more details on the food service. These comments are based not only on my own experiences, but on those of some others on the St Paul campus and refer to the St Paul Student Center facility only.

The recent renovations make the place look good. Most everyone seems to agree with this.

The soups and especially the chili rate high in approval from the diners I have spoken to. A suggestion to improve the soup selection would be to make sure the two soups offered are different to one another. ie. not serving two cream soups on the same day. I think the clam chowder is good to but when I mentioned that today and a colleague he told me that he think he got food poisoning from a bowl of clam chowder a couple of months ago.

There is a lot of complaining about the cost of many of the items. The salad bar is a classic example as it is often well presented and appealing however have noticed that only a few people take advantage of it as the "by weight pricing makes an average salad very expensive. I have witnesses shocked by the cost of the salad they have gotten it to the cashier.

The lines at the cashier is another issue. Just yesterday the line was backed out all the way through the cafeteria to the hall outside. Only one stressed overworked employee was staffing the registers and was complaining that they were short staffed. This seems to be a regular occurrence not only at the register but also where hot foods are prepared.

I do not know where the pizza comes from but it seems to have gone downhill since Aramark took over. I used to often get this and after a couple experiences of eating my slice cold I gave up on buying it.

I think the selection of food has been reduced. The number of hot items

served seems to have diminished - there used to be a mesquite chicken sandwich that is no longer available and the subs "made on site" no longer have the option of coming with grilled cheese - something that was a popular item before. I do not keep exact track of all the dishes offered but the selection seems more limited than it used to be.

Several colleagues and I eat lunch there a couple of times a week and in the past few months more of us are starting to bring a bag lunch to the table. I guess we have all gotten sick of the selection. I usually opt to buy something prepackaged now like a sandwich or pita roll or a yogurt.

Although I do not take advantage of it the breakfast options look OK.

They even started charging us for the cup if we elected to take only a glass of water with the meal we purchased.

Hope these comments are of help.

I had written to you a couple of times soon after the shift as I was reluctant to revert back to my undergrad and grad school days of sack lunches, but I have.

St. Paul food still not acceptable though improved since the beginning of the takeover.

In a nutshell, bad food, higher prices, poorer service.

Lack of real food for those who eat there daily.

Package deals like you have to buy the full meal deal to get chips or carrots with the deli sandwich is stupid, who wants a soda full of sugar asa requirement to get carrot sticks with a deli sandwich? It is McDonald's approach to poor food with marketing.

More selection has crept back in but is low quality and heavy. e.g. dark chicken meat in all chicken things.

Tasteless casseroles.

How many calzones can one person eat anyway?

I rarely go anymore and if I do I bring my sack lunch or a TV dinner. TV dinners of all things actually taste better then the offerings. I also bring my own cup so they do not try to charge me 10 cents for using water!

I do still occasionally use pepper though, hope that doesn't cut into their corporate profits too much!

I used to purchase food at the Student Center 1-2 times a week. I no longer do so. The price of their food has become more expensive, while the quality has gone down. I used to eat the sub sandwiches quite often, but not since they made the changeover to Aramark. The only option for a sub is a whole cold sub as opposed to having choices of heat and a whole or half. And the chips and/or carrots which used to be complimentary are now extra. Aramark is charging more money for less food. Everything went up in price, not excluding water, which now costs .10 cents for the cup!! I feel this is just ludicrous, and show my irritation by bringing my own lunch, or going up to the Cherry Wood Room, which receives nothing but praise from me and my colleagues.

Seeing as this is our only close option for food choices, I am quite frustrated by the new changes.

It will be a bit difficult for me to make current comments about the status of the food at the St. Paul Student Center (the only place on campus I ate with any regularity) as I have stopped eating there - can not recall the last time I was there. At best only a few times in the last 3 months. Before Aramark took over I has happy with the improvements that had been made in the variety of food served and the quantity served. The turkey dinner and roast beef and roast pork and bbq beef and bbq pork, etc provided a nice change of pace from a burger or a chicken sandwich. The prices were reasonable. After Aramark took over, those items were available lessoften, if at all.

My perception is that price has gone up - can not quote figures, but perception is a powerful force in my decision making. Plus the amount of food per serving seems smaller - probably a good thing for my waist line, but combining a smaller serving with a higher price - not good customer service in my book.

I did start eating more at the games room counter for a while - chips, Coke, and a brat for $2.50 was a quick lunch at a good price, but does get a bit boring after while. I also heard that Aramark was upset that the games room was getting more business and wanted the games room to raise prices ---something about competition??????

Chips, M&M's, and a coke out of a vending machine is also quick and inexpensive, but not the greatest lunch. Also, the vending machines are not filled as often as they should be and I much rather have real Cheetos than those crunchy cheese things they sell. Plus the item I want is usually next in line behind something that I do not want. Either that or when I put in my money for something, it does not drop, so put in more and the first one drops, but not the second, so put in more, then the second and the third drops.

All things considered, I have started eating off campus more - allows me to "get away" for a bit, better selection, can eat as much or as little and what we want. More expensive usually, but the pluses outweigh the cost. Else I bring a lunch from home - much cheaper - but have to remember to make it and bring it - down side is that I usually eat it at my desk and get interrupted.

I work on the St. Paul Campus and it seems that food selection here in the cafeteria on the first floor is about the same but that prices are higher and one gets less food. (I used to get chips and a pickle with my grilled cheese sandwich and now I pay the same-I'm pretty sure- and I get just a lonely looking grilled cheese sandwich all by itself in my carry out plastic tray. So where're the "veggies"? :-)

Pre Aramark we used to get chips or carrots with subs, too, but no more.

I have hear some other complaints-sounds like they are just cutting corners and trying to do things cheaper here and there to save money and figure we won't notice.

I usually don't get into these things but that sandwich looked way too pathetic for me to not speak up.

Thanks for soliciting feedback about the Terrace Cafe from those of us who eat there. Many of us are delighted that you are giving this some attention. I eat at the Terrace often, as work schedule dictates, so I consider myself, along with six to eight colleagues, frequent users. Having a place to eat close to our office that has good and quick service makes it possible to use it often. These views are from the perspective of frequent but dissatisfied users.

Problems: (since the recent change)

1) the food costs more and there are fewer selections. Examples: a. No longer can you get a half sub sandwich prepared on-site, only full subs. Not only does it cost more but it is too much food when a half would do.

2) too much waste, such as using a paper container for fries when you are eating there or putting pizza or sandwich in a box only to take it to a table and eat it, then throw the box in the garbage.

3) premade sandwiches (turkey, ham, cheese) are tasteless but having are made sandwich available is handy for quick meals or to grab for a meeting.

4) more food need to be available to be served quickly. Some of the subs could be premade if there is a pattern of certain kinds being choosen often or offering a premade style for quick purchase with no extras. Those who want to stand in line for special extras can do so but others can get one without waiting.

5) the salad bar is too expensive and there are not enough soups.

6) the set up of the cafe lends itself to bumping into other people, retracing your steps to pick up something else and there is no easy flow to getting things and getting out effeciently.

7) the dishwashing area is too often a mess, stinky and dirty. It is unattractive and disgusting to see food and garbage that has fallen on the floor because there isn't staff to handle it.

Good things about the Terrace:

1) the offering of music is a pleasant thing to hear when eating if it isn't too loud. Sometimes it is. But most of the time, it is a nice feature.

2) eating space is fairly clean and clear of debris left from other users. It is usually a nice place to come into.

3) cashiers are generally pleasant and quick.

Solutions and Suggestions:

1) offer more selections like soups, sandwiches, vanilla yogurt (not just fruit flavored). Egg salad, tuna salad sandwiches used to be available and are nice for those who eat less or no meat.

2) make the individual preparation of foods easier and quicker and offer ways to get the same food premade.

3) maybe offer specials that are quick to pick up, reasonably priced and attractive.

4) I often bring a lunch but I will buy a drink, dessert, chips to supplement it. Offering things that go with home lunches such as a fresh veggie or fruit dish or small cookies help us lunch baggers to buy, buy, buy something!! (I bring my lunch to keep costs down but I don't like eating at my desk! so I go over at lunch with colleagues and don't mind spending a little money but not a lot)

5) many of us are sitting at our desks all day, are at the age that eating more and lots is not healthy for us, don't want to spend $5 for lunch everyday, and when we can, enjoy the company of coworkers and colleagues, over a meal at lunch. We want our selections to be varied, attractive, reasonably priced and quickly served.

Thanks you for the opportunity for input and suggestions.

Inspired by yesterday's article in the "Daily" I am writing you regarding the quality of food service provided to students and guests of a summer program which I have been supervising for the last four years. Of course I understand that the article may be in error regarding some of the details presented in it, but I want to add my voice to the general commentary which you have received.

My summer project is the REU (Research Experiences for Undergraduates), a ten week program sponsored jointly by the University and The National Science Foundation. In this program juniors and seniors who are interested in physics are provided with an opportunity to work in a research laboratory under the supervision of a faculty research scientist and his staff. Last summer there were ten students four of whom from academic institutions other than our University. Of these students several were housed in Centennial Hall sponsored by our program. As a part of the facilities which are provided and in order to establish and maintain a certain camaraderie among the students it has been my practice to invite any and all the participants to eat lunches at the designated dormitory as a group on a daily basis. On days when we have had a late morning seminar with a faculty guest speaker our guest is invited to join the group for continued informal chat during lunch.

With this as background I will now comment that the experience of the '98 summer was very poor in comparison to that of previous years when we had our students housed in Comstock dormitory and with food service provided by an agency other than Aramark. On a five point scale of general satisfaction I would rate the '98 experience as coming between 1.0 and 2.0, i.e. adequate to furnish the necessary nourishment at mealtime, but not at all satisfying. On this scale I rate the previous years' experience at Comstock hall as 4.0. I have not received any complaints from the students, but I personally avoided joining them at mealtime whenever this was easy to do. I was a bit ashamed and embarrassed to have to invite our guest-lecturers to this summer's facilities, but here, too, I did not actually receive any complaints.

Since my program is to be repeated in the summer of '99 , and since I have little choice in the facilities to be offered to my students and guests I count on you and your committee to see to it that available services are improved, perhaps to the level experienced in previous summers at Comstock Hall.

Sostanza in Moos tower is great.

The Campus Club continues to be a very poor provider of vegetarian hot entrees. This has been a problem for a very long time. I don't think I will write about it again. After this time I am going to give up.

The first comment concerns the results of a spring 1997 survey of a sample of students on the Twin Cities campus. Those results indicate a lower level of satisfaction with services in 1997 than in 1991. I'll send a copy of the summary report to you.

On a more personal note, my primary contacts with food services are in Nolte Center and the Cup in Williamson. Prices at the Cup have risen considerably in the last six months. I haven't done a specific comparison, but they are very similar to coffeehouses. My main concern there is the very uneven and sometimes quite rude service staff. Customers can be a pain for sure and no one should tolerate abusive language, but there are appropriate ways to handle it. I saw one incident when a rude customer took a nickel out of the cup to cover coffee costs, and the waitperson challenged the customer. The customer called the person an a..h... and the service person responded at a lower level.

My main concerns are about Nolte. It is an unmitigated disaster in every respect. Initially, the menu was changed to feature awful foods that no one liked. Business plummeted and the view was "give us your feedback." Comments were dismissed and the reactions were very defensive. When virtually no one was going to Nolte, they finally got the message and changed their menu back with much hoopla and publicity (and at probably great cost). The prices have sky-rocketed but now they at least have some of the old favorites, such as being able to order a sandwich for lunch.

Nary a day goes by when they aren't out of one of the items, have to go back into the kitchen because they don't have carrot sticks, sprouts or one of the ingredients. On occasion, they have no more pickles when that is one of the items featured on the menu. Sometimes their pricing is without reason, such as wanting to charge a student 50 cents more for a slice of cheese even though the purpose of having the cheese was to replace the meat.

And here's the clincher: We're encouraged to fill out comment cards with ratings on a three point scale, the lowest of which is Fair. What happened to poor, very poor and terrible!!!!

I sincerely hope that the experiences of students in the residence halls is considerably better than they are in Nolte Center.

The new Basic Science/Biomedical Engineering building was designed to induce scientists from different backgrounds to interact. In particular, it was expected that interactions would happen during chance encounters in the large central atrium of the building. This has not been happening as much as desired, and some of us thought that the presence of a coffee cart in the atrium would increase the likelihood of such interactions.

We contacted Aramark and they readily sent out two representatives, Kay Akey and Ted Sander, who met with us and looked over the location. They told us that they'd be back with a plan for the location in about two weeks. That was last summer. Since then, despite repeated inquiries, we've heard nothing from them.

Please note that this isn't simply an issue of "academics wanting coffee". We see the coffee cart as a tool for increasing interaction and communication among scientists. It really does bear on the successful and productive functioning of the group.

I would have to say that I'm not satisfied with Aramark's performance.

As a faculty member, I cannot afford the sandwiches at the Outside In anymore! The soups are very salty and the salads are expensive and drenched with dressing and calories. In general, I think healthier choices that are more reasonably priced are needed.

Sostanza is a much better choice, and I appreciate the fact that the salad bar has been maintained there. Unfortunately, it is closed one very University Holiday and during breaks between quarters. Doesn't anyone realize that the rest of us still work full-time???!!! During the Christmas break, it was very hard to find lunch. The Outside In was my only choice. I started bringing my lunch, which I think I will keep doing until the choices improve.

Thanks again for soliciting comments. To sum up, I think we're being ripped off by Aramark.

I am sorry to say that I am very disappointed. I was hoping that bringing Aramark to the campus would get the U Food Service out of the high-carbohydrate, high-fat, uniformly over salted mind-set, but it seems to only be getting worse. While I understand that the largest market segment on the campus is made up of 18-22 year olds who have grown up conditioned into a fast-food mentality, it seems to me that the University has some obligation to try and at least provide healthy options for both types of students, let alone the faculty and staff.

If you are at all concerned about your salt and fat intake, it is virtually impossible to find a healthy meal option in Coffman Union. It seems to me that Aramark is spending far more energy on glitzy visual PR efforts with cute gimmickry in naming their various food venues than trying to bring us a variety of food choices.

I am not insisting that the fast food options be eliminated, but it should be possible to at least provide alternatives that are health-conscious choices.

No serious complaints, but since you asked:

I preferred the previous layout that offered deli sandwiches and pizzas in the center portion of the Coffman lower level. Having to go into the Two Cities Cafe zone seems to add to congestion there. I have yet to figure out what exactly is the current purpose of the area that was previously the North Country Deli.

This past summer and fall it seemed extremely unpredictable when the brat stands would set up on the mall. I would count on popping out of Walter Library for the quickest fix available, only to find that nothing was where it had been the day before - or so it seemed, at least.

I don't know if either of these changes were related to Aramark management. Thanks for asking for input.

No serious complaints, but since you asked:

They have a very helpful staff at the Nolte Dining Room, but have Boston and the Committee ask Aramark why a turkey sandwich with a bit of lettuce and a slightly

heavier plastic container costs over twice as much at Nolte as the same sandwich out of a vending machine. Last year Nolte charged $1.19 for a Fruitopia drink while it cost 75 or 80 cents from a vending machine.

There seem to be fewer options in Coffman Union now than a few years ago. But I utilize campus food services very rarely. The espresso bar on the first floor of Coffman is great.

More healthy food choices needed --I miss the half sandwich option at Inside Out.

The prices are very high now that ARAMARK has taken over. They were already a little high before, but now they are really high. I am referring to Sostanza and the Inside Out (especially the latter) in the Medical School.

I was disappointed that the Inside Out removed their salad bar.

Also, I would like to see some evening options for food. Many of us work late into the evening and everything seems to close so early! Something that stayed open until at least 8 PM would be great.

Thank you for inviting comments.

I would like to request more choices for vegetarians - it is sometimes hard to get anything other than salad (this is true in the cafeterias in the hospital and dental school). For e.g. at least have some soups and main dishes meatless. I will appreciate it if you can pass this on to the committee.

Glad you asked. I stopped patronizing CMU food service several months ago, after I decided that cost was substantially up and quality substantially down. Prior to that I had eaten there three or four times a week.

I tried to have a constructive conversation with a woman who was some kind of overseer of the downstairs foodservice, a notch above the local manager. I particularly wanted to ask what had happened to the gyros, which had been quite good but became a shadow of their former selves -- really skimpy. Frankly, she was so unpleasant that I terminated the conversation, never went back to the restaurant, and warned others that it had gone to hell.

It's also tough to find anything for supper, for those of us who like to work late.

Aramark's loss is Peking Garden's gain -- noon and night.

Sorry I don't have anything more positive to report.

I really like what's available in Coffman. Wish there was something comparable closer to the Dinkytown side. I like the coffee shop in Williamson. Nolte has good food but is set up so that long lines are almost guaranteed. Service is good.

In my experience, most of the food vending machines offer little more than dietary trash. The mid-Minneapolis campus area -- say, around Johnston Hall -- is without any decent food service other than vending machines. It would seem a good idea to add a cafeteria in this area, possibly in the refurbished Walter Library, although I fear that plans for space in Walter have long been settled.

Opinions probably differ on the question of whether food and drink should be available in close proximity to books. Well, there are plenty of great libraries and museums that somehow manage to provide food services and successfully devise ways to insulate the books from the comestibles.

My main argument is not, however, to locate food services in Walter, but rather offer some brunching, lunching, and late lunching arrangements more civilized than that provided by those very efficient, but otherwise very unsatisfactory dispensing machines.

I have eaten lunch at the St. Paul Student Center for over three years. After Aramark, there was a noticeable decline in quality and an increase in price.

I always eat a vegetarian sandwich. It used to come heated and with carrots. The price was $3.75. Now it is cold, and carrots cost extra. The new price of the sandwich alone is $3.99.

If I go to subway, I can have a larger sandwich with more toppings for a little less cost.

My other concern is with food allergies. I'd like to know which foods are free of monosodium glutamate (MSG), which I am allergic to.

The cafeteria in Nolte basement seems to work fairly well for people in that sector of the campus. The student center has a variety of food services. It is the mid-campus area that lacks provision.

I've been at the U for 14 years. I believe it got better with Aramark, particularly Sostanza, but still think we could be doing much better in terms of healthy options. Wanting to avoid fat severely limits the options at almost all of the AHC co-located cafeterias. And, when planning to hold a function that involves outside guests, the food very much falls short of a something suitable. For this reason we usually seek to hold Advisory Board meetings, etc. at a place where we don't have to use campus food service. And, I taught at a 5-day workshop at the Earle Brown Center on the St. Paul campus this summer and the food was very very bad. It was embarrassing and was nearly universally criticized in the evaluation of the workshop.

Thank you for the opportunity to respond. Many of us are here 52 weeks per year and have some concerns, comments and praise.

Please get rid of students studying, bringing outside food and generally hanging out in the cafeterias during lunch. There is often nowhere to sit.

Improvements in Outside-Inn are much appreciated. However: Soup that is not fat-laden would be appreciated. Since you have two soups/day, why not have one soup that is NOT laden with fat?

Coffman- the students dishing food or making sandwiches have no idea in general what they are doing. Sometimes they don't even know what the food is! They should either have some sort of training or not be hired. Also: the tuna they use for sandwiches is TERRIBLE! USE white tuna.

Sostanza. Please get them to stop putting so much butter or oil on the pasta. Some people just get plain pasta because the sauces are so terribly rich, but lately the pasta is just soaked in oil or butter. This just isn't healthy. Also: the salads are SOAKED in OIL, making them practically inedible. Often when I get pizza it is simply COLD. You also need cashiers that can work rapidly. It is pretty irritating to get your lunch, only to have to wait in line for 5 to 8 minutes to pay. By the time we get to a table, the food is usually cold. Service needs to improve.

In general, food service needs to respond to the needs of people who work here every day of the year. We are not students and we want healthy food.

The food service at Sostanza's is very good. The choices are wide, and the food is actually very good! The Outside In is another story. The new entrees, sandwich choices and salads are limited, and the price increases are pretty bad. Also, many of their foods are quite spicy, something I find puzzling in a healthcare environment where they serve many patients who require specific diets. Maybe they could have the spices/sauces on the side, or tone it down a little. Also, the food is AVERAGE. They really offer NO desserts except for pricey cakes, cupcakes (how many people really eat cupcakes?) and pies. The only cookies they offer are their own. No ice cream. Also, whoever does their ordering is terrible. It is very common for them to be out of something at least once a week, such as butter, milk, trays, condiments, etc. One note about both places. MANY of the food handlers DO NOT wear gloves or hair covers. One time I specifically asked an employee who was making my sandwich with his bare hands that were rash covered to put on gloves and he refused! I spent the next hour trying to report him to someone, and failed to get any response. Since both restaurants serve a large number of health care personnel who need to respond to phone calls frequently, is it too much to ask to have more phones?

Frequently, there is a wait. Once I waited 10 minutes to answer a page, and returned to my seat to find that someone had thrown away my half eaten lunch so that they could sit there!

I work in Morrill Hall. There are food vending machines in the basement, and on a number of occasions I have found the sandwich/salad part of the machine either out completely or out of most options. I have had to call 4-7000 and report this condition. It seems that they don't service this location frequently enough.

The food at Sostanza is very good, healthy and reasonably priced. Out-side in has mediocre, unhealthy food, poor selection, and is overpriced.

I purchase lunch at least 4/5 work days (most frequently from Outside-In but sometimes from Sostanza)

GOOD: The new food services have offered tastier, home made soups --more varied in spices/herbs, more willing to offer unusual styles/types

GOOD: The new food services have offered less usual vegetables(asparagus in season) and are especially sensitive to vegetarian offerings

After a brief period at Aramark's beginning - that was accompanied by horrible food/limited supplies/running out of everything - these problems seem to have been largely corrected.

The wait staff has remained personable and tries to offer the broadest variation.

COULD BE IMPROVED : sandwich options are more limited - by offering only pre-made combinations those of us who just wanted roast beef (for example) are unable to get that option. On the good side, the offerings are varied and interesting

Sanitary issues still need some work: There are times when people stock unwrapped food items with bare hands. People with colds/flu should not be permitted to serve/cook food.

I miss the salad bar

I miss breakfast sandwiches

When I first arrived on campus, the University Food Service operated a small place (somewhat like Nolte is now) in the basement of Shevlin Hall. It was closed, about ten years ago, for cost reasons. The truth is, I would like to see it (or some similar set-up) return to this "Historic Knoll" corner of campus. Not only was Shevlin wonderfully convenient, but it provided a wonderful place to meet colleagues and establish a sense of community among colleagues in the related departments and colleges housed in this vicinity.

My bottom-line issue is this: The 'cost' of locations is not only financial, but also related to the contributions in makes to the quality of life on campus. I hope variables in this latter set are more carefully monitored.

The food at the Campus Club is so appalling that it is embarrassing. It is a parody of institutional cuisine. Anything, and I mean ANYTHING, would be better than the slop that is served there. Virtually everyone in my department now eats at the (ex-) Newman Center because the food there is so much better. My recommendation: hire one of the EXTREMELY talented local restaurateurs to transform the place into a fun and exciting place to eat.

What food service? Once Shevlin Hall was closed, the Peik/Patee/Child Development folks have commercial Dinkytown to choose from, which as we know leaves something to be desired. I have always been amazed at the quality and variety of food available in the Med School buildings . . .can you imagine if we gave them the option of a small deli cafeteria like Nolte or commercial Dinkytown? It would be unacceptable . . . and should be so for those of us on this end of campus. Thanks for getting input on this!

The food is mediocre at best. Perhaps no worse than before, but more expensive. On the positive side, one result seems to be there are more people eating at the Campus Club. Another outcome is the flowering of fast food outlets on Washington Ave.

Thank you for soliciting individual comments. I have nothing positive to say about the quality and service being offered at Nolte where I used to eat. I eat from a bag lunch or at Avenue of the Americas only. I will not even have coffee with my colleagues in Nolte, even though some still grumblingly have to eat somewhere on this end of campus (Shevlin did not get replaced).

And now that the U's purchase of the Newman building has caused the shutdown of Cafe of America (thanks to the ARAMARK contract, I'm sure) because its high quality and custom food is a bone fide competitor for the junk at Nolte, I am further disheartened. The ONLY good thing is discovering that you will be holding a 'hearing' on this mess, but too late to continue having such excellent and diverse food served by the Cafe!

There is NO choice at Nolte (admittedly it was limited before) in entrees which are unappealingly presented and overpriced for their serving portion-size. The sandwiches seem to be the same portion but there are no chips and the 'vegetables' of before are now just 2 (two) dry tasteless carrot strips! And the sandwiches, with less 'stuff' cost more! And how about those picturesque company slogans and advertisements that entice you to 'eat' their service; or is it the Food? Yech!

Since Coca-Cola and this horrendous Aramark deal, which I recall was also highly 'acclaimed' as helping the U and its student life - at both announcements, substitute 'venues at the arenas' - the service, price, food quality and restrained menu choice has quickly deteriorated and is now at rock-bottom. Either the deal has certain contractual obligations that encourage such a feeble commitment to 'quality' (the captive student and staff audience will just have to accept what is available; it's what the marketers and attorneys agreed to, after all!) OR someone in the University KNOWS but, favoring the cash payments to pay for other unrelated things it wants, JUST doesn't care. I often conjecture that the University leadership finds it expedient to continue to ignore that its strength IS its people and traditions and favors these market driven substitutions for the appearance rather than the substance of a thing.

Furthermore, this bad food just encourages/reinforces the perception that this is and always will be a commuter campus. If in the end the students and staff still have no quality places to sit and share, much less get a good cup of coffee or a sandwich, why make the deal in the first place? Why isn't this money invested in making REAL (not virtual) places for students to relax, to study, to socialize with faculty or other students on the campus?

There's more wrong with the ARAMARK deal than just the quality of food, methinks; and who will really speak the truth? Thank you for listening to me and I wish you would share the results of your inquiry before any outcomes are agreed to. Too often e-mail is a one way street.

At the restaurant of the PWB the food is to expensive, the variety offered does not allow a healthy meal at a reasonable price, the submarine sandwiches are mostly bread, some desert prices are outrageous (e.g., a piece of cheese cake over $4.00), the salad bar was abolished, the sandwich bar breads are of poor quality, the soups are not hearty and expensive, etc., etc.

Thank you for the opportunity to comment. My only remark is that I think it would be nice to have a wider availability of "cafeterias" on campus. We used to have food service at Norris Hall, and I really miss the chance to go there with colleagues and students and have time to eat and discuss things. We sometimes go to Nolte, but it is always full, and it is difficult to find seating.

An amazingly overpriced mistake. They do not come close to serving the needs of the U's students, staff and faculty. I have heard numerous complaints dealing with every aspect of the operation within the AHC.

More places for commuting students to eat their own food around Folwell with Microwave access. Nolte is overcrowded.

Other than Sostanza, the food service does not provide the same value down the street. I think the U could do better for its students. The faculty and staff will do fine, but they should be more responsive for the students.

Although I eat at the Campus Club as often as my schedule permits, I can say on the basis of many lunches on the West Bank and one banquet that the food service produced for the Geography Dept last spring that the quality of food and the attentiveness of staff has improved 100 percent since the change.

I don't know if SOSTANZA and the INSIDE-OUT are part of this contract, but the recent changes to those food services were not improvements. The SPECTRUM used to serve a wide variety of food, whereas SOSTANZA's range is much more limited and the food isn't very good. The INSIDE-OUT used to serve a several simple and reasonable breakfasts, all of which have been made much more expensive or dropped entirely. People, especially the families of patients, do not want theme restaurants, and students can't afford them. They want a place to get decent, cheap food. Turn SOSTANZA back into a full-service cafeteria that serves some Italian food, if that's what people like. Get rid of the fancy chefs' hats in INSIDE-OUT and bring back the breakfast specials.

I can only speak for the AHC sites, but the service and food quality has declined significantly with prices escalating. Sandwiches were about $3.00 and are now about $4.00 with the choices very, very limited as compared to previously when multiple options were available. One could also get half sandwiches. Anyone wanting healthy foods needs to bring his/her own lunch unless they want a salad diet.

Thanks for the opportunity to have input.

Thank you for taking time to conduct a survey. My experience with University Service has been mixed.

Campus Club -- This place has a nice location and terrible food and service. The food is very poor quality, and expensive. The staff has a "take it or leave it" attitude. When I resigned my membership a few years ago, the person taking my letter did not even bother to ask me why. This place needs serious attention.

Basement of Coffman -- Food selection is not great. Much of the food is of the "junk food" variety. Also quite pricey. But it is conveniently located.

In general, I think the food service here is quite bad. I often go to restaurants in Dinky Town and in Stadium Village because many of them serve better and healthier food at more reasonable prices. I also think that we should have a nice place where we can take our visitors. I am embarrassed to take my visitors to the Campus Club.

We love Sostanza! Variety of food, lots of veggies, at reasonable prices.

Thank you for soliciting faculty input on campus food service. I used to eat nearly every day in the Nolte cafeteria. The food there has gone steadily downhill (though I don't want to blame the cook for this since in the past he'd show that he can be quite good). Now I eat there as little as possible. Instead, I have lunch at the Cafe of the Americas, an independently run operation. The food there is consistently wonderful but I understand that if the building they are currently in is sold to the university they will no longer be able to operate there. I find it a shame that the university's policy potentially threatens a very good place while supporting another that is really pretty bad.

On the other hand, the place on the West Bank (its name slips my mind) is really pretty good in its salad and focaccia sandwich selections.

I don't know if the committee is handling vending machines too, but as a faculty member in Folwell Hall, I would like to request that healthier food be placed on vending machines. We have too few options. No fruits, no yogurt, few real juices, items that are traditionally sold in machines elsewhere.

I would also like to have more vegetables and grains in Nolte.

I can only reply to the vending machines, as I eat at campus club.

In the last year, the refrigerated vending machines, such as formerly in architecture have been removed and replaced by non refrigerated machines, so that the food is permanently warm, and often partially melted. This improvement has resulted in the machines being stocked with Frito's, biscuits and similar half value foods.

At the end of last summer, the Morrill hall machines were more than90% empty, for nearly a week before being restocked, only the greatly disliked food items remaining.

Has one ever seen a vending machine at an airport, or a mall, or a department store that was not fully stocked? There is something wrong with the quality control of our system or our vendor. Why in the days of worry about food contamination do we remove refrigerated machines? 1999 is supposed be an advance on 1959, we seem to have the sign (-) wrong.

It would be nice if the prices were a bit lower (particularly for the students).... The prices definitely jumped about $1-$2 per meal when Aramark took over, and are now a little expensive. Also, if it is a for-profit business, that does not seem appropriate for an on-campus foodservice.

The quality seems good, no better or worse than before. It is possible that the quality is a little more consistently good than it was before --it was more hit or miss prior to Aramark. However, the major change from before seems to be higher cost with no substantial change in quality or selection (if anything, the number of choices decreased) -- I saw little real value for the customer in the switch to Aramark.

An important consideration to me is whether the employees (particularly full-time) liked the switch. I do not know.

This is based mostly on dining at Nolte -- I've tried a wide selection there: soup (particularly overpriced), entrees, wraps, pre-made salads and sandwiches, etc.

Thanks for asking.

I have enjoyed the new variety in the foods offered, but sometimes find that the pricing is not really in line with either the quantity or quality of what is provided. For example, yesterday, I got the Ratatouille over rice for $3.89 and was handed a plate with a cup and half of rice and a quarter cup of ratatouille. What a deal!

I'd ask how well the preparation of foods are within the recommended recommendations for fat intake. At the Outside In since sandwiches are no longer individually made, there is often not a good low fat, no cheese choice. Also many of the hot vegetables are quit oil covered. Or how about having a non-cream based low fat soup daily as a choice. Beef vegetable and cheddar cheese soups don't leave much choice for someone trying to eat a healthy low fat diet. I'd like to see some more healthful choices here at the Academic Health Center.

I do miss being able to make my own salad at the Outside In. Why does milk have to cost so much more than out of the machines down the hall?

I believe I am one of many individuals who is very unhappy with the food service in the AHC. In particular, the Outside/In Cafeteria in PWB has become very disappointing to use since Aramark took over. I eat there with faculty and staff and we discuss the food service frequently. Following are my concerns:

High prices for small portions of food. The food simply is not worth the price--appearance or taste.

Excessive use of garlic (some people can't tolerate this seasoning).

The packaged (only available this way) dressing for pre-made salads is watery. Special "Salad of the Day" is as expensive as the Radisson and not nearly as good.

Ruben sandwiches are served cold ONLY.

There have been some new items added to the menu that are good.

The area where dirty dishes, trays and food are disposed of is not properly maintained. Wastebaskets are piled high with smelly food most of the time. A person doesn't want to go in there.

Tables are dirty most of the time.

Thank you for asking.

My comments regarding food service since the Aramark has taken over are as follows:

In the Health Sciences Complex: Outside/Inside: Very limited selections, No salad bar, no made to order breakfasts.

Sostanza: Either need more cashiers or need to reorganize the current cashiers over the lunch hour.

Although there are many evening classes on the East Bank, the cafeteria in Coffman Union closes at 3:00 (or 3:30?). The little snack and coffee shop on the first floor has a very limited selection of food, and is often mostly sold out by 5:00 or so. Rather than being concerned solely about profits for each location, it would be a refreshing change for the food provider to consider service to the students and faculty who must be on campus late in the day. Such a provider would have an adequately supplied and staffed restaurant open in Coffman until at least 6:00 PM.

I have frankly been rather disappointed in the UFS offerings and service since its takeover by a private vendor. I use the facilities at Coffman and have found:1) Increased prices for lesser portions 2) Improved presentation of food items but with deterioration in flavorfulness. 3) Very uneven service, often poponderously slow by obviously untried and minimally trained personnel.4) The coffee is execrable and over priced at the lower level facility. 5) There seems to be too few service staff with a great abundance of overseers. On a positive note, I have found all staff to be friendly and welcoming.

I appreciate the opportunity to respond.

With respect to food services on campus. I am co-director of a 10 week undergraduate summer research program which includes about 22 students. Our experience last summer (our program and two other programs were housed at Centennial Hall) was extremely negative. The quality and nutritional-value of the food served was very low. Also, there are a number of students in all of the programs who are vegetarian and providing them with adequate food was a continuous problem. Despite numerous meetings and complaints, very little changed. Vice President Boston is aware of these issues. The experience of the past summer is very different from students' experience in the previous few years. Food service was actually praised. Aramark's argument is that the students were housed in Comstock which is a small edorma and this cannot be compared to a large dorm like Centennial with man short term sports groups coming through. Size of dorm should not be a factor equality or freshness of the food served.

For your information, a meeting is being held next week in which representatives from a number of undergraduate summer research -programs will meet with Todd Underwood of Aramark to see if the situation can be improved for the coming year. Our focus is to ensure that nutritious, fresh meals with some degree of variety are provided for the program participants, including those who are vegetarians or vegans.

Having just paid $4.50 for a measly portion of "turkey a la king", let me say the following: I bring my breakfast and lunch from home as often as possible, and sometimes when I don't, I purchase food at the Outside In. I realize I may be more price-sensitive than many, since I can remember when a dollar was actually worth something--I stopped buying bagels for breakfast when they went up from 60c to 80c each. I accept that I am paying something for the convenience of not having to walk over to the Bridges or go outside to buy food, and maybe when I eat out I eat at the wrong restaurants.

However, for little more than the price of a "full meal deal" plus coffee, I can be served by a waitperson at Perkins and get china, metal tableware, and coffee refills. Usually the food is tasty and well prepared. Portion sizes seem to vary; I once ordered macaroni and cheese and got a portion so small I promised myself never to buy it again for that price, and a few days later I saw someone in an elevator with what seemed half again the portion I had gotten. The Outside In staff, as always, is very attentive and helpful.

I think what Aramark has done to Nolte is a travesty. I wouldn't eat there now if they paid me. Prices are outrageous, food is fatting and hard to carry out, the dining room is filthy (when did they last vacuum it?). The junk stored in the two back "coves" adds to the overall distasteful feel to the place. Bring back the good old days of Shevlin Hall when we had a honest-to-goodness cafeteria on this side of campus.

I've heard that central administration now has to hire outside caterers because they can't count on Aramark to show up when scheduled!

The Law School community has been shortchanged by the closing of the Riverbend Cafe. We now have three food facilities on the South side of Washington Avenue on the West Bank and none on the North side.

I just want to encourage you to keep Bistro West open. Although it doesn't get used as much as it should right now, I think in the long run it will do great business. People are still just figuring out that it's there.

I find the quality and selection of food on the West Bank extremely poor. The little deli place in the tunnel used to have hot food and sit down dining. Now all that is available is overpriced food and the same selections every day. The Humphrey Center dining is now so POSH that it takes forever to get in, get seated and order. I don't need a fancy atmosphere. Things were fine as they were before. One had more choice, lower prices and better quality food. All "improvements" in food services on the West Bank over the past 3 years, have been, in my opinion, huge steps backward.

The food service in CSOM is very disappointing. During peak lunchtime service, wait times are excessively long. Professors and other professional who would like to utilize the food service just don't have an extra 15-20 minutes to waste standing in line.

The food choices are limited. Pre-pared food is limited to a few submarine-style sandwiches (often only beef; I don't eat much red meat) and salads (most of which contain an undesirable processed lunch meat). I won't eat fried food (burgers, etc.). The Asian stir-fry generally gives little vegetables and protein. This has improved during the past few months. Initially, approximately $4 would yield a pile of mush rice topped with three or four pieces of chicken, each approximately 1 inch by 1/2 inch, and just a few pieces of vegetables. Such food fare would not sustain anyone for an afternoon of work. As I said, that problem has been partly addressed, with food portions approaching acceptable.

I often choose to purchase lunch elsewhere -- the deli counter in the bottom of Blegen, where I can be served quickly and where the choices are more numerous, or in the 7 corners area (where $5-$6 actually provides a meal).

The chicken Caesar wraps and other wraps have their problems. First, the wait time is often excessive. Second, the approximately $4.40 yields one wrap, with no side dishes. The contents are too salty.

The turkey dinner is the best deal the food service offers, but I rarely eat a full dinner for lunch.

The coffee service in the bottom of CSOM often has such long lines that I frequently skip it and make my own coffee upstairs in my office.

In conclusion, I really wish I could choose from a variety of pre-prepared sandwiches, with fresh and tasty breads and a better choice of fixings, less fatty and less salty foods, and shorter wait times.

Ah, my favorite subject.

The "west bank bistro" (HHH dining room): it is a nice idea but the food borders on the inedible. We were entertaining job candidates there until we found ourselves telling them what to avoid because it had made people sick the last time we ate there.

The Carlson: it started off good, variety etc but has declined over time. During the regular year it is so busy that the lines are long; during vacation times, they close almost everything down. The problem seems to be staffing; they lose orders (once my dining companion went without food because his order never got filled on the grill line); they need some time-motion adjustments.

Metropol: during vacation time, i.e. when the undergrads aren't here but the grad students, faculty, and staff are, they just shut down, leaving us with no place to go. We have work to do to prepare for the next quarter; I think the U should provide a place to eat.

I have been unhappy with the food service in the Carlson School of Management. There are not many vegetarian options (without high fat content). One has to wait a long time in a line to secure many of the food items. The portions are small but expensive.

A few comments - one man's opinion

The "commercialness" and bottom line mentality shows. Portions are stingy; request for a bit more veggies etc. ignored; a feeling that the employees are being watched by big brother to make sure that they toe the line.

At the Humphrey DR we had a daily changing variety of tasty well-prepared food. When I asked the assistant manager here to provide alternatives to chicken and turkey he asked me, "Like what?" It seemed as though he had never even heard of fish, pork, beef, enchiladas, spaghetti, + +. I would suggest a consultation with the manager of the "old" Humphrey DR. The new DR and food are nice, but they offer a bit higher level of food and service than would be justified here.

Unless one buys some food, one is charged 10 cents for a cup to get water! Also one is charged for plastic utensils!

I have heard numbers like 3 to 6 million dollars spent on installing the kitchens. Is that correct? The kitchens ARE impressive and yet what we get is, IN MY OPINION, a bare step above fast food joints.

At Humphrey faculty and staff were the primary customers. Here students prevail. Perhaps that explains the sea change in food, service, and ambience. At Humphrey I was totally comfortable inviting guests for lunch. Here?

I would favor having the Campus Club provide food and service here. It is a tasty pleasure to have lunch there. Unfortunately they are struggling to stay afloat. We could help both them and ourselves by joining in a food venture.

I would mention the efficient harshness of the sterile appearance of the tables and chairs in the "dining room," but that has nothing to do with the efficient harshness of Aramark - so I won't mention it. Could not at least the "inner" dining room be given a touch of hospitable warmth with different furniture and perhaps even a bit of artwork and softer lighting?

Check with me later for more whining and moaning.

Almost every day I eat at the deli eatery in the basement of Blegen Hall(West Bank) because it is close to my office in the U Libraries. The food is good (salads and sandwiches, no gourmet food) and it is reasonably priced. There is very little variety, but I think that is OK. We know what we can expect from this food service. The staff is excellent, smiling on us and doing what they can to help.

However, there are some real problems with the actual process of consuming the food. There is very limited seating across the hall from the food dispensing place. The eating area is a mess. No one appears to have responsibility for cleaning it. Garbage collects in the huge garbage bins until it overflows. People are packed together is such a way that there is no privacy and everyone becomes part of other people's conversations. Some of the chairs are broken and have been broken for months. No one appears likely to ever repair them.

Plates are not available at the food service and one is charged for eating utensils unless they are necessary for the consumption of a purchased item. If you buy a bagel, there is no place to put it while you pay for it or while you eat it. You certainly cannot put it on one of tables in the filthy eating area. Sometimes little waxed paper bags are available, but often they are gone by the time I get there. If you buy a bread baguette, it will not fit in the waxed paper bag-- about half of it protrudes. It would be civilized to offer small paper plates on which to place purchased food.

We used to be able to have water with our meals. Now we are charged for the cup in which water is put unless one buys water at the food service. I think it would be civilized to allow people who buy sandwiches or salads or other salty foods at the food service to be able to drink the free Minneapolis water in a cup if they like.

In the past, one could choose to buy half of one of the pre-made sandwiches available. This is no longer possible UNLESS one also buys a salad or soup. It is not as though someone would have to go through the effort of making a half sandwich. All they would have to do is cut one of the pre-made sandwiches in half, put it in one of those waxed paper bags and hand it over (as they do if you are willing to buy the salad along with the sandwich).

Many people, including me, would like to buy half a sandwich without also buying the soup or salad. I cannot understand why buying half a sandwich is no longer possible. The food service could even charge slightly more than half the price for the half sandwich. The deal is that people may not want a whooping big sandwich when a dainty half will suffice.

There is also a problem with food dispensing. There are a number of bins in which various bread products (bagels, croissants, and baguettes) are placed. These are open to the public and I have witnessed people digging around in the bread bins touching all the bread before choosing the item they find attractive. It would be more sanitary if these items were dispensed by staff with a minimum of handling before they were sold.

Thank you for asking. Again, I want to emphasize that the staff working in the food service I visit are very helpful and pleasant.

I'd appreciate it if you would pass along the complaint that, on the West Bank, we have had extremely inadequate food service for several years. Originally, the River Bend was designed as the primary food service for the law school and surrounding areas. It is now closed, having been taken over by the Archives. Law students must walk quite a distance to find any food service -- and, at least as important, over coffee or lunch.

I don't have any serious complaints about the quality of food offered on the West Bank; the problems concern the variety, the location, and the lack of space for students, faculty, and staff to gather.

On the West Bank of the Minneapolis campus, things have diminished. The restaurant in HHH is very nice and priced higher as a sit-down restaurant, hence slower and pricier than I would prefer. I'll bet it's underutilized. The new cafeteria in Carlson has an attractive range of food options. Why can't it remain open longer into the evening (M-Th) to serve west bank the many students and faculty who are there for evening classes? The ONLY thing available is the deli in the basement of Blegen and the miserable machines that are so full of candy, salty snacks and little else.

I have worked in Wilson Library since it opened in 1968. The West Bank "food service" has always been dismal, at best! Aramark has not been an improvement at all. The facility in the new Carlson building is poorly planned. The restaurant in the Humphrey is way too expensive and is usually empty.

When the University was negotiating for the U. Food Service replacement, I recall a letter to the editor of the Daily that said Aramark would be the worst possible choice. That has proven to be true. (Typical of the University to out source to a company even worse than what we have.)

I'll say it again: check out Dayton's 12th floor (Mpls.) and Lutheran Brotherhood for good examples of mass cafeteria service.

I've even spoken with one of the managers at the Carlson and precious little has improved. The whole operation is slow, overpriced and ridiculous!

The message soliciting opinions regarding Aramark that was sent to the U. Faculty was forwarded to me, hence this note to you.

As a faculty member in the School of Music, I eat lunch every day on the West Bank. The food court in Carlson is a splendid edition and is the place I frequent most. The only complaint I have had so far is the absence of non-starchy vegetables. For instance, today the area had potatoes, corn, dressing, macaroni and cheese…and broccoli. This is not exactly a healthy choice. One can move on to salad sand wraps and they ARE good, but they are usually soaked in oil...probably the reason they are so good! If the management there could think a bit more about lower fat availability, it would be great.

The Bistro is a very big disappointment. There are days when I would love to spend a bit more and enjoy the peace and quiet of a real restaurant. Unfortunately, the two times I have eaten there, the food has been glutinous, overcooked...poorly prepared...seemed like an airline meal...and very pricey. This is not a good combination. Also, not having the option to have only soup and salad limits those of us who want lighter fare.

The pizza at the Metropol used to be good. Now it is ghastly. The sandwiches and soups across the hall, I think it's Essentials, are good. Alas, the specials are horribly overpriced small portions.

I hope this feedback is some help. As I said initially, I am grateful for the adequate service at Carlson.

Some comments from one who's been eating here 4-5 days a week for 8 years:

Glasses weren't refilled, and there was no one within earshot to ask for it to be done. Why not institute a service charge (and cut the price) so that servers are motivated to serve?

The Asian food stand at the Carlson School represents very poor value for money. For $4.20 or so one gets a tiny amount of rice, 6 quarter inch square pieces of chicken, and a few beans.

The coffee and sandwich stand at the Carlson School could be expanded greatly, along the lines of the one at the basement of Blegen. As of now, the salad and sandwich selection is poor, and often stocked out of say the Veggie (my preference), the salads are unimaginative, and the service slow. There are two cash registers, why not have two persons serving there? The rationale for the place, in my view, is a quick lunch. Slow service there defeats the purpose.

There needs to be some lower cost alternatives on the menu. It is difficult for a student to go through the line to get a meal for less than $4. Perhaps a little competition would solve this problem. I would like to see the likes of SUBWAY or TACO BELL also available in CSOM. They could be given a slot in the existing cafeteria, then we would see what sort of demand we have out there.

I don't eat out much, but I've found the food services on the West Bank to be quite acceptable, with the exception of coffee vending machines that seem to run out of coffee, refuse to supply large cups, take dollar bills but give no change, etc. Actually, the vending machines were worse before Aramark took over. I think they need more frequent servicing. The machine in the student lounge of Ferguson Hall is nonfunctional at least 10-20% of the time. I received partial payback for approximately $5 of losses (since Sept.) by receiving 4 free cups last week.

Of course, when the word got around, there was a run on the machine to collect free drinks. I'm still short, but it feels good to recuperate some of the losses (I know one can request refunds, but it just takes time and effort.

Limited selections on hot meals in the Carlson cafeteria, sandwiches too expensive in the Blegen cafeteria for what you get.

The food situation on this campus has never been good, but it seems to have gone downhill under Aramark. Food is expensive, and of remarkably mediocre quality at the various food service locations on the West Bank. I'm also rather disturbed that the absolutely worst food is that which is located nearest to me. I speak of the food outlets in the basement of Blegen Hall. Quality has been going down, while prices have increased. Also, there seems to be more attention to ambience and image than to food quality and value. I think it's great that we now have an espresso bar. However, my enthusiasm is negated by the execrable quality of the espresso served there! (It actually takes quite a bit of skill to be a barrista --training helps!)

When I think of the food quality at other universities, I'm saddened that things are so bad here. My ideal remains the University of Colorado, where good food, considerable humor, and great value are combined in the Alfred Packer Grill (named after the only person convicted of cannibalism in the US). The University of Wisconsin's Rathskellar (sp?) is also a step in the right direction. I think we'd do far better renting space to individual entrepreneurs!

I use the food service on campus quite a bit. I find that the hours of the "Essentials" deli are inadequate. They open at 11:00, but 10:00 or even 10:30 would be better. The line is always really long at 11:00 (which is when several others and I are switching over from the West to the East Banks). I have also noticed that the prices for anything healthy are quite outrageous. A small salad of iceberg lettuce is $1.60, a stir-fried bowl of rice and vegetables is pushing $5.00, and a wrap is nearly $5.00. While you can get a burger, fries and a coke for way under $4.00. Thanks for taking these comments forward.

Despite repeated pleas for the past 3 years [or more] and assurances that "they were on it" nothing has been done for the Law School students and Art Students

... the little cart in the law school hardly makes a dent [since the demise of the Riverbend]. There is nothing for students, faculty, and staff on the North End of the West Bank

The whole situation with the profitability of food service has to do with the DOUBLE TAXATION imposed by Central on students ... They are charged tuition [which pays for "Study Space"} and since there is never enough study space, they are charged again for the place in which they eat [which of course is also a "study space" through the cost of the food.

Had the Riverbend NOT been charged for the large eating space it WOULD have been profitable... Look at any eating space and you will see students studying there. The exorbitant charge for the eating space led to reductions in service and food availability at the Riverbend that of course resulted in less sales which resulted in less service and so on in a classic restaurant death spiral.

We are not happy on our little end of the campus. I will not go to Carlson with its high prices for food that is just OK.

The service at Carlson's School cafeteria is very slow. I get an impression that as soon as a person gets some experience of how to prepare, say a wrap or a salad, he/she gets transferred to a different stand.

I wish we had an alternative at the Humphrey cafeteria they way it used to be.

The food on the West Bank is not very good, and mostly overpriced -- the pasta salads in Blegen have gone up nearly 25% in 6 months, for example, and the inexpensive rice bowls at Carlson were discontinued after only a few months.

They've continually reduced the number of options available, as well as the locations, and concentrated everything on Blegen and Carlson (for most folks). Nothing in Willey Hall anymore, for example. And there is almost nothing available at night or on the weekends, except for machines. It mystifies me as to why there is a great frozen yogurt service in Coffman, and a really mediocre one in Carlson. And why no more popcorn anywhere on the West Bank (there used to be 2 locations where we could get popcorn). It seems that healthy options (like a do-your-own salad bar) are forbidden, but salads with lots of oil are pre-made. And I find it hard to believe that a cookie that costs 30 cents at Rainbow costs 65-80 cents here-- it's not as if they're gourmet items after all.

To summarize: overpriced, lack of variety, poor location choices. The staff (esp. student workers) are nice though!

Glad you asked!

A major problem I have with the coffee/deli in Blegen Hall is that they do not post their prices or they do not clearly post their prices. I thought I was getting a jambalaya soup and when I got to the cashier, I found that it cost over $4 for a bowl of whatever it was I got. This is too expensive. In general, the prices are too high, and now they charge an additional $1 if you want to get a disposable tray. They are not competitive with regular restaurants or fast food. There are not a lot of choices for fast, university-based eating on the West Bank.

I have been struck with the following:

Quality reductions (fewer choices, poorer service),

Price increases,

Quantity reductions,

Longer queues

in Year 2 of Aramark's operation of our CSOM cafeteria.

This is a textbook path followed by monopolists!

I'm writing on behalf of those of us at the Humphrey Institute who interact with and use dining and catering services on the West Bank. Thanks for the opportunity to give feedback. We'd like to offer our input to the following areas: personnel (onsite and contract administration), catering and event services, and space and dining.

Personnel

Unfortunately we have noticed a continuing turnover in the West Bank dining services staff. While we understand the difficulties of a tight labor market and changing student staff, we have experienced the turnover to also be a result of unrealistic schedules and demands placed on those staff managing daily logistics. Catering directors must be here day and evening, weekdays and weekends; as a result they quickly burn out and move on. As users, this continuing turnover results in lost, misplaced and forgotten orders as well as difficulty in knowing who to contact and where/when to find them. Leslie Bowman and Ron Campbell have met with us to discuss concerns and Leslie has been especially helpful in clarifying communication and establishing guidelines. We'd like to note that Missy Boyd (Catering Director - West Bank) was terrific and we are sorry to see her go.

Catering and Event Services

This had been a continuing area of concern. Some of our major events have had food sent to wrong rooms, insufficient quantity prepared, and setup not completed prior to the event. The food quality receives good marks. Our event planners have been frustrated with changes to pricing and policy which are imposed with little or no feedback and notice to users (i.e. changes in pickup policies, charges for a pitcher of water, etc.). This lack of communication has led our event planners to conclude that Aramark appears generally uninterested in understanding the unique needs of catering services on the West Bank (which are markedly different from the East Bank). Again, both Ron and Leslie met with event planners last fall and were attentive to the concerns. Missy Boyd implemented a number of improvements, and we are concerned as to whether the improvements will continue in yet another staff change.

Space and Dining

Many Humphrey Institute programs and centers used the Humphrey Dining Room (now Bistro West) for small events and breakfast meetings. In its current configuration (as a restaurant), only those events which can seat people around dining tables are able to consider renting Bistro West. We miss the availability and flexibility that was previously available. As for breakfasts, lunches and dinners, most Humphrey Institute staff and faculty use the Carlson School cafeteria or Essentials Cafe for dining. Bistro West is generally considered too costly as a lunch alternative.

Thanks again for the opportunity to give feedback. Will you keep us posted as to the results of this feedback and new directives?

I have received word that you will be holding a meeting regarding the Aramark contract on Feb. 2, unfortunately I will not be able to attend. I am a staff member and have also been a student on campus. I have had a link to this campus since the fall of 1980. I have had a lot of experience with the food service over the years. For the first time in my history with the U I have refused to purchase food from the campus food service. The food is horrible! It is more expensive and we have less choice. Additionally, I have found that the cleanliness of the dining area and tray drop-offs have declined. Furthermore, the food served at special meal functions was extremely poor in quality. I thought we were supposed to get more choice, lower prices and better quality. I have found that the trend has been exactly the opposite! I do not believe that Aramark has lived up to their end of the deal.

Prices are unreasonable and food quality is variable. For example, when a small salad easily costs $3 to $5 in comparison to all you can eat at outside restaurants for $4 to $5; it appears the profit margin is more important to the U than providing a convenience for the employee, which ultimately translates into shorter lunch breaks and more working hours. But if we consider the parking situation, consideration for the employee is obviously not an issue -- income for the U is #1!

In response to your request here are my thoughts.

In my estimation the Aramark food service improved appearances, decreased selection, and raised prices. The quality of the food is about the same as it was previously but that is well below what I would consider desirable.

I have kept this as brief as possible but would be happy to offer more detailed information if it would be of use.

Service is good, variety is good, and quality is good. Price is too expensive, especially for pasta dishes (pasta is a cheap product!! and sauce doesn't cost very much to make).

I'm glad someone's looking into this.

Never touch the stuff. Live longer that way.

Thanks for this opportunity to reply. I have been at the university since 1977, and the recent changes in food service have been, in my estimation, the best things that have happened in years! The variety is greater, the food is tastier, with a wider array of healthy options. To put it another way, the on-campus eating options have gone from being the brunt of bad humor a source of pretty decent food, all around.

I'm very pleased with the changes.

The food service has deteriorated lately and is overpriced.

Last September I visited Marshall State in SW MN. I found their student union food service to be excellent. It is also managed by Aramark, yet their prices seemed to be a lot lower than their Twin City prices. I think this should be double-checked by someone else, and if still true, one should check why this is so.

The food has gotten worse, the choices fewer. I always bring my own. I am especially disturbed by the possibility that Cafe of the Americas may be put out of business by this monopoly. I would like to see more small businesses, not chains, more variety, less expensive and unhealthy fast food.

Please cancel the Aramark contract ASAP!!

The vending machine (Coke contract) has increased prices and reduced options for the consumer. Not a wise move.

The new food service is much more expensive, inflexible and there is no improvement in the food quality (some say it's worse). The service level is also reduced, in general.

The quality of the food that is delivered for meetings/receptions has declined since ARAMARK began its contract. It's not awful, but it is certainly not better than previously.

This comment concerns the vending machines. I am uncertain whether Aramark is running them or not.

They are full, exclusively, of junk food. Is there no reason why 10 % of the items could not be low fat, low salt, including unprocessed fruit? Of course I'd prefer a larger fraction but find that I usually must simply walk away, though I do want a snack.

It is extremely annoying that many of the machines require some sort of card to operate and do not take coins. Actually I don't even know where to get such a card and would in any case be extremely unlikely to take the trouble if I did.

The U.M. Twin Cities campus has become largely a 'commuter school' for the undergraduate population. I suspect multiple factors contributed to this, one of which is probably a lack of ready access to food. I find it difficult to buy lunch on campus after 3pm. I was an undergraduate at one of the University of California campuses, and I could get cooked food and junk food (purchased from real people) most hours of the day and night. In order to get students to stay around campus, we will need to offer high quality study space and 'hang-out' space near a food supply (other than vending machines). Offering extended hours of food service may not be profitable, but many aspects of education are not profitable.

I am a light lunch eater and look (without success) for a soup cup and half sandwich option. Veggie sandwiches rather than meats and cheese are also a preference. Often soup and a crusty roll is fine.

For what it's worth, I had a freshman seminar during Fall Quarter, and one assignment for the students was to write me a weekly journal. A number of them complained bitterly and repeatedly about the dining hall food; one even moved out of the dorm into a private room allegedly in large part because of it. Maybe this is just normal undergraduate griping, but it's certainly *not* a positive testimonial to the quality of the food and (if accurate) is a strong vote against Aramark.

I want to comment on the quality of beverages now that we have the contract with Coca Cola. NO water exists anywhere, whereas there was always ONE water option when we went with Pepsi. Everything is SUGAR and pop. This makes it unpleasant for those of us not wanting sugar or who have diabetes or who wish to stay healthy to purchase anything on campus. WHY can't there be ONE slot for mineral water?

Consistently, the food is the worst I can remember tasting and the service and hours of operation has disintegrated to a point below that of vending machines. The advantage: off-campus eateries are thriving.

As an employee, I am frustrated by the availability of catering services. We hold many meeting on Saturdays and are no longer able to request morning juice/coffee/rolls and box lunches for those that attend our meetings.

I have a colleague that works for the college food service company "Marriott." Although he does not work in this geographical area, he knew about the bidding which Aramark. He told me two things that are relevant here. First, the request for bids sent out by the food service was unreasonable, and that therefore Marriott would not even bid on it (they submitted a "no-bid" to indicate this). Second, he predicted that within 6 months the food service provided by Aramark would drop dramatically, as they would be unable to meet the in the bid and make a profit. It would seem my friend's prediction is right on the mark, illustrating once again the hazards of simply accepting the lowest bid.

I find the new food service totally inadequate. As a person who can't eat wheat there are almost no non-wheat items available aside from the salad bar. I liked being able to buy sliced meat and rice and miss that option.

Thank you for using real plates and silverware again. More of this reusable stuff is appreciated!

It would really be nice to have better salads, sandwiches (with more non-meat items) and other lunch items available in the morning. Some people bring sack lunches, but it is easier to just pick something up especially those with no transportation to the grocery store.

We have had mostly good experiences with University Dining Services. On the plus side, the service tends to be reliable. Orders are delivered on time(or early), even with very late notice, we get what we order and it comes with adequate supplies (cups, napkins, etc.), phone messages are answered promptly, and the employees are pleasant and efficient. Last-minute changes or additions have always been handled with patience and a laudable degree of professionalism. We have no complaint - in fact, please pass along our compliments - with the people who work with Dining Services.

The quality of the food, however, tends to leave something to be desired. The coffee is terrible (we finally found out - after complaining - that we could order a better grade of coffee). The last time we ordered coffee there were grounds settling to the bottom of everyone's Styrofoam cups. We simply do not have very high expectations for the quality of the food and drink, and as a result, we tend to bring in refreshments from outside for our more important events.

The vending machines that use a helical transport to move selections to the front do not work

The policy of charging for extra napkins, containers and/or utensils is picayune, as well as unenforceable.

Having to travel to a food service facility to get a refund for funds lost in a vending machine is a waste of staff and faculty time.

Advertising seems to take precedence over customer service in some facilities, e.g. the Nolte dining room, where the tray stack has been displaced to make way for a poster.

The prices are no longer a bargain compared to off-campus dining, and convenience is eroded when both service and pricing deteriorate.

My main concern about the food service is the cost. It is very difficult to find a healthy lunch that does not cost at least $4.00. There don't seem to be many alternatives and I wonder how many students can afford this. Also, is it really necessary to charge as much for a cup of coffee as Starbucks?

We seem to be joining other campuses across the country in the trend to turn our eating areas into a string of nutritionally impoverished "fast-food malls" by "outsourcing" them.

I would like to see less sugar, fat, and salt (let people add their own salt to taste). More "healthy" food alternatives, including whole grain breads and more fresh fruit and vegetable options would be delightful.

At the very least, there should be daily vegetarian entrees plus some posted data on the calorie and fat contents of standard food items such as hamburgers, pizza, gyros, french fries, etc.

I feel the service and the quality of the food has taken a significant turn for the worse. The food is more expensive, limited in variety and doesn't taste good. The food is always cold, you can't get just a HALF of a sub sandwich anymore, nor can they be heated, the chips or carrots are extra....these are just a few problems I have seen since Sept. 98.

You have to pay for cups to drink water. The area was rearranged and doesn't make any sense. The changes were not an improvement. If Food Service can't do food, what do they do?

Simply put, there has been a decline both in the quality of the food and in the service provided by Aramark.

It is very a propos for me to respond to this request for input as I am currently in leave for the qtr at Ga Tech and in terms of food service feel like I have died and gone to heaven.

1. Within a 3 minute walk there are three distinct food services on campus in the middle of Atlanta...a Starbuck's Coffee Shop, a large student oriented cafeteria, and a large staff/faculty cash buffet, cafeteria with some (drinks) service.

2. All three are much brighter, cleaner, larger and vastly more utilized.

3. Except for the Starbuck operation all three are less expensive than a comparable meal at U of M.

Ga Tech has a population of 8000 (5000 undergrads, 3000 grads). The student center is the heart of campus. It houses many social (games, clubs) centers, banking, bookstore, mini shopping, etc for campus.

It adds a lot to the day to have a nice place to eat with colleagues.

The quality of food has deteriorated significantly. I no longer feel it appropriate to take a visiting student or faculty member to a University-run location for a meal. I now am forced to drive off campus at such times. Personally, I have stopped getting my lunches on campus because of deteriorations in quality.

Thank you for soliciting comments about food service. I have one comment:

I like to eat healthy. It seems that the vegetables (e.g., broccoli) are prepared in oil. There seem to be no options available without something unhealthy added.

Goals for food service:

1. Several options in the $3.00 to $3.50 range.

2. At least a couple items for the cost conscious - $1.50 to $2.50

3. One or more entrees - meat, potatoes, veggie - up to $4.00 to $4.50

4. Eliminate charging for a glass of water. With the prices they are (or at least were) charging - there is more than enough margin to cover the cost of a cup.

5. Get some better French fries - crisper and hotter.

6. Have at least 2 vegetarian options - make sure no egg in them.

7. Encourage us to eat healthier, serve a veggie with the cheeseburger and fries, etc.

Thanks for the opportunity to comment.

Feedback on the food service:

Just this week my department ordered food for a lunch reception. The bread was stale (buns), the roast beef was old. Otherwise the rest of the spread was fine.

In the past, I have experienced a couple of times when the service did not complete the order as requested. I use outside services now.