Because more than two-thirds of the Residence Halls on campus aren’t equipped with kitchens, many students are required to buy meal plans.
And some students are questioning if they are being overcharged for campus cafeteria food.
Deborah Johnson, a sophomore biology and music major, thinks so.
“We are being charged a ridiculous amount for the quality and variety or food we are receiving in return,” Johnson said.
Meal plans cost between $2,657 for 12 meals per week and $3,350 for unlimited meals for each academic year. Students have the option of having 10, 12, 15, 19 or unlimited meals per week, and all of the plans come with either transfer meals or flex dollars, which can be used at the Union Food Court or the C-store in the Heritage Center.
“It comes out to be eight or nine dollars a meal, which isn’t right when I eat cereal and orange juice for breakfast,” said Ashley Miller, a sophomore in biology.
Reggie Conerly, resident district manager of Chartwells at the U, disagreed.
“With the cost of fuel and groceries on the rise, meal for meal, it is a good value considering variety, convenience and nutritional balance need for college students,” he said.
Katie Kormanik, a sophomore math and economics major, said students should be reimbursed for the meals they don’t use during the week. The money for each unused meal, which ranges from under $5 for the 19-meal plan to almost $9 for the 10-meal plan, is lost at the end of each week.
Although there are no set plans to change the number or price of meal plans at the Residence Halls, Conerly is encouraging students to give their input.
“Tell us what you like and tell us what you don’t like,” Conerly said. “It is all about the students–that is exactly why we are here.”
Students can comment at www.dineoncampus.com/utah in the comments section, or at comment boxes located in various places on campus.
“College students are old enough to determine their own way of finding food,” Miller said. “If they want a meal plan, then great.”