Skye Duncan | Lariat Photographer
By Ryan Finn
Reporter
Changes to current meal plans are set to take effect in June 2015, as Aramark will transition to all-access meal plans offering unlimited access to dining halls for five or seven days per week.
Brett Perlowski, vice president of operations for Aramark, said the new unlimited system should diminish worry currently experienced by students with meal plans that they will run out of “swipes” or not get full advantage of their plan. He also said that the new meal plans will be cheaper than the current ones in place.
“Under the new system, students will be able to hang out without the fear of losing a swipe,” Perlowski said.
The new system will permit a student to have unlimited swipes for the five or seven day meal plan, depending on which plan is chosen, all they have to do is swipe in again with their ID.
If a student doesn’t see anything there that he or she wishes to eat, they can leave and go to a different dining hall, swipe in there, and won’t be penalized a meal since it allows for unlimited swipes for the entire day in all dining halls.
Sean McMahon, resident district manager for Aramark, said there are other changes going into effect this upcoming year for meal plan that will benefit students.
“Some advantages of them include no rollover or missed meals,” McMahon said. “And one price gives students access to the dining halls all day with one swipe.”
The plan will be called the All-Access 7, which aside from allowing students unlimited swipes for seven days a week, gives students 50 Dining Dollars for the semester and also lets them have five guest swipes. The All-Access 5 gives students 100 Dining Dollars.
Some of the current meal plans offered to students include the block plans, a set number of meals a week and an unlimited meal plan, according to baylor.campusdish.com.
Perlowski said about 6,500 students have meal plans now, and with this new method set to roll out in June 2015, he expects more to have them this time next year.
“The new system will help foster a sense of community by allowing students to eat in the dining halls with their friends,” Perlowski said.
He said that students will see this benefit that comes with having a meal plan and will be more inclined to purchase a plan again next year.
Perlowski said one area of concern will be students swiping other peoples’ cards. It’s a policy and a practice that he said Aramark will need to get better about monitoring.
“It’s a process that will have some growing pains, admittedly, but we will work hard as a staff to try and minimize these as best we can and move forward to improving Dining Services here at Baylor,” Perlowski said.
