October 19, 2005

Not Your Parents’ College Cafeteria

GW Develops Distinctive Dining Program Offering Wholesome Fare in a Flexible Environment

BY THOMAS KOHOUT

GW students have a lot on their plates. From the moment they arrive at the University they’re stuffing community service opportunities, intramural activities, and part-time jobs into an increasingly arduous menu of academics. That busy lifestyle doesn’t leave much time for meals, to say nothing of healthy dining.

“GW students lead very busy lives,” explained Christine Kithcart, assistant director of contract services. “Between classes, internships, service groups, and other activities, they’re going around the clock and they need a dining plan that offers the flexibility to choose the time that’s best for them to eat their meals, with enough variety and freshness to meet their high expectations for quality.”

Through a University-wide gap survey conducted by the Business and Service Excellence Committee led by Louis Katz, executive vice president and treasurer, and Robert Chernak, senior vice president for Student and Academic Support Services, as well as semi-annual customer satisfaction surveys conducted by ARAMARK, students expressed the desire for a dining plan that better met their daily needs, both in terms of healthy eating options and flexibility.

In response, the University tailored a dining program to match the hectic lifestyle of the typical GW student. The result was the Colonial Cash dining program. The dining program is entering its third year since the Office of Student and Academic Support Services and Auxiliary Services moved the plan from a traditional board plan with meals per-week and points, to a non-traditional retail model with a declining balance. According to Kithcart, the program has been well received not only for the increased flexibility, increased value, and expanded options, but also for improvements in quality and service. Where students once were confined to J Street or the University’s dining halls with the meal plan, they now have a wealth of dining choices both on campus and at more than 40 GWorld Colonial Cash dining partners in the city.

“Students vote with their feet” under the retail system, explained Kithcart. “If students don’t like a particular venue, or the service is poor, they have a lot of other options to choose from, on campus or in the city.”

“We’ve expanded student choice and dining options while eliminating the fixed meal times and missed meal factor that are a part of most traditional meal plans,” said Nancy Haaga, director of auxiliary and institutional services.

She added that a great deal of attention was paid to providing low fat and healthy food options. “We’ve struck a great balance.”

The University introduced retail-style dining options — such as cafe, market, grab-n-go, restaurant, gourmet prepared food, coffee, and retail venues — strategically placed where students live, and added access in the city to dining choices in the surrounding neighborhoods.

“Our non-traditional dining approach supports the customer service values of the ‘Total GW’ experience on campus, in the classroom, and in the city,” said Haaga
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According to Haaga and Kithcart, students sought healthier options and someplace to buy produce and groceries. GW and ARAMARK answered the call with the District Market. Located in the ground floor of the Marvin Center, the market offers students a full-service grocery store experience, providing organic and natural foods, Kosher meals and groceries, fresh fruit and vegetables, and an assortment of dairy products, including imported and domestic cheeses, milk, and eggs.

District Market also includes a trio of prepared-food venues. District Bakery features baked goods and national brands including Krispy Kreme Donuts. No grocery store is complete without a deli, and the market features top-of-the-line Boars Head deli meats as well as sandwiches made to order and a wide variety of salads and side dishes. Its newest additions are Boston Market and Stockpot Soups products.

In J Street, ARAMARK added options such as the Hot & Not: a buffet-style concept that features hot breakfasts, grab-n-go meals, and a variety of classic comfort foods and take-out favorites such as meatloaf with mashed potatoes and gravy. There also is a new salad concept called Salad Garden that features at least 14 specialty salads daily and a variety of hot grilled chicken sandwiches and wraps. The idea for a made-to-order Tex-Mex food concept — Burrito Express — came straight from student comments on the ARAMARK customer survey.

The Ames Dining Room on GW’s Mount Vernon Campus also has gotten into the act. While more like a traditional dining hall, Ames stays up-to-date by offering wireless Internet access along with great food including a made to order grill and saute station, a fresh salad bar, and a popular weekend brunch.

In addition to the expanded dining options, ARAMARK is test marketing a new loyalty card program called Jam Rewards, enabling students, faculty, and staff to earn points for every purchase at any of J Street, District Market, or Ames Dining Room — ARAMARK’s GW locations. Points can be redeemed on the Jam Web site, http://jamrewards.com/, for anything from music downloads to athletic equipment or Kate Spade bags.

Send feedback to: bygeorge@gwu.edu