by: Tyler North on March 9, 2012

Students have diverse opinions when it comes to eating on campus. However, most students agree on one aspect of on-campus dining its expensive.

Food on campus is the worst value anywhere in the entire valley, said James Kennedy, a graduate student in bioengineering. They give us low-quality food for very expensive prices.

Many students find that the price often outweighs any other positive aspects of on-campus dining.

Off campus you can get more food for a cheaper price, said Asad Rauf a senior in biomedical engineering. Even for a small sandwich you are paying like $3, so I just dont think its fair. I started bringing more food from home and I rarely eat on campus anymore.

Chartwells, a major provider of on-campus food including the contracted provider of food for the Heritage Center and the Union has a different stance.

We do a market basket analysis of all the businesses within a mile radius of the school and we make sure our prices are within reason of those other establishments, said Reggie Conerly, resident district manager for dining services.

Most items are made daily in the Union Food Court, some in front of you as you order, Conerly said. Quality is something Chartwells strives for.

That quality comes with a price. Purchasing basic meal plans on campus will cost a student anywhere from $7.50 to $8 per meal, depending on the plan.

If they opened up more dining options, I think it would be to our benefit and would lower the price, Rauf said.

Continued here:
Students vie for cheaper on-campus dining