Cheap Eats: Cafeterias Churning Out High Quality Entrees At Low Costs
It’s never been a more delicious time to pursue post-secondary education. The Globe and Mail reports that many Canadian cafeterias are revamping their menu items, moving away from common caf’ fare such as burgers and fries and replacing them with the likes of butternut squash agnolotti in fresh sage butter, among other gourmet options.
The University of British Columbia, Guelph University and Waterloo University are among the institutions that have upgraded their eateries on campus.
Eateries run by staff and elected student federations presiding over massive budgets rival their commercial counterparts. Technology companies Research In Motion and Google have held Christmas parties in the student federation facilities, using student-run catering operations.
Schools have also been moving away from payment plans that force students to purchase a set amount of meals in favour of so-called declining balance plans in which students put cash on debit cards that can be used at eateries throughout the campus.
An average meal plan is about $2,800 for an academic year, says Ed Townsley, president-elect of the Canadian College and University Food Service Association.
Mr. Townsley, also the department head of retail services at the University of Guelph, says schools can keep their prices low because food service operations generally only have to balance their budgets without the added pressure of generating profits for investors.
Hopefully more Canadian universities will hop aboard this trend and give students more appetizing menu options.
Thanks to Heather Sokoloff and The Globe And Mail for the tasty tidbits: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080611.wlunifoodies11/BNStory/lifeFoodWine/home
