March 17, 2008

Universities give new generation of students more dining choices

New Union Common
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"In the 1980s we were given a meal plan; now students demand a MY Plan or else they will take their business elsewhere," consultant Chris Wolf said at the National Association of College and University Food Services 2008 Midwest Regional Conference at Purdue University. "We're training children to feel entitled. Students come to college expecting choices."

Wolf is the director of strategic innovation at the Turover Straus Group, and he advises international corporations such as Starbucks, McDonald's and Pepsi. He praised the new dining facilities at Purdue University for being on track with the newest trends. He specifically cited Purdue's Union Commons and its variety of restaurants, including Lemongrass, which features made-to-order stir fry, vegetarian dishes, and environmentally sustainable bamboo décor. At Earhart Dining Court students can pick all of the ingredients to personalize a stir-fry, pizza or pasta dish.

Wolf said students increasingly have moved beyond convenience food such as burritos. Now they want healthier options, including soup, salad and meal-substituting drinks such as smoothies. These foods are all available in the Union Commons' quick-service restaurants that sport urban design elements such as neon and subway tile.

Wolf said students also want to be entertained with distinctly themed dining spaces and with gimmicks that have a "retro" appeal. He cited the increasing popularity of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or a restaurant such as Purdue's "Loops" that serves nothing but a wide variety of breakfast cereals with an even wider choice of toppings.

"The key question is, can people get excited by your food?" said Wolf. "Students are used to 'Have it your Way!' They will even choose one college over another based on the perceived quality of the campus food service."

Wolf said that a generation that has grown up with HGTV, Martha Stewart and Extreme Makeover expects entertaining style with flexible food offerings. He cites the upscale décor and expensive televisions in remodeled McDonald's restaurants and the unique interior design in every Chipotle restaurant that is marked by industrial themes.

"Purdue is an example of a university that has radically redesigned the décor and atmosphere of its dining facilities," Wolf said. "It's important to not only bump up the quality of the food, which Purdue has done, but to also bump up the service experience."

Purdue Housing and Food Services has won multiple awards in the past two years for its dining facilities, including the new Ford Dining Court that features large glass walls, rich floor and wall covering materials, and upscale furniture and lighting design. The remodeled Windsor Dining Court has readapted 75-year-old English architectural elements and blended them with newer oak and stone to create an atmosphere similar to an upscale steakhouse. A new $19 million, 500-seat dining court to open this summer will combine the two approaches while still focusing on providing students with freshly prepared food choices that are often made-to-order.

Purdue Housing and Food Services' vice president said the division is self-supporting and all capital improvements and operational costs are funded entirely by fees from campus residents, staff and other users.

"We are able to make these ongoing improvements because the Purdue community has continued to respond positively to the services we provide," said John A. Sautter. "We apply the best practices developed across the nation, but, perhaps even more importantly, we consistently and systematically seek the input of our most important consultants, our students."

Writer: Jim Schenke, (765) 494-6262, jschenke@purdue.edu

Sources: Chris Wolf, (417) 889-0770, Chris.wolf@tsgnpd.com

John A. Sautter, (765) 494-1000, jasautter@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

PHOTO CAPTION:
Purdue University Housing and Food Services has redesigned most of its dining spaces to create trendier ambience and increased food choices. The New Union Common area features several distinct cuisines, including Asian, Mediterranean, Italian and Mexican. It also features outlets that specialize in increasingly popular items such as salads, smoothies and breakfast cereals. (Purdue News Service photo/David Umberger)

A publication-quality photo is available at https://www.purdue.edu/uns/images/+2008/UnionCommons-Loops.jpg

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