Students at the University of Utah are facing a harsh reality: the quality of food available on campus is subpar.
Whether they are in their final dissertation phase or just starting their freshman year, many students complain about the cafeteria meals, the limited snacks throughout the buildings, and the overpriced offerings from on-campus food trucks and stores.
As inflation continues to rise, students find themselves prioritizing practicality over preference when it comes to dining options on campus.
Michaela Newby, associate director of Feed U Pantry at the A. Ray Olpin Student Union, has noted a significant increase in pantry usage among students.
She identifies the escalating cost of living as a key food injustice issue that students are grappling with.
According to Newby, “It’s very expensive to buy groceries and to pay rent and just to live. The basic cost of living is just out of hand.”
To improve the situation, the university must enhance dining variety, expand the meal transfer functionality, and invite more recognizable food chains to campus.
Currently, on-campus food options lack diversity.
While a few familiar food trucks make their way to campus, their offerings leave much to be desired.
These food trucks do not accept meal transfers, often forcing students to incur extra expenses when seeking a decent meal.
For those hoping for cuisine beyond fast food, options are extremely limited.
To remedy this, the University could open grocery options like fruit stands in high-traffic areas where food trucks are located.
This initiative would empower students to have greater control over their food choices and encourage healthier eating habits.
The current meal transfer system, commonly utilized by students living on campus, needs significant reform.
Typically bundled at a discount with housing, meal transfers provide students with a predetermined value per meal—around $10 or less—but the available campus dining options do not meet their expectations.
To address this, expanding compatibility of meal transfers to include food trucks, local eateries, and potential grocery vendors could enhance students’ dining experiences.
Allison Witman, an associate professor at the Marriner S. Eccles Institute’s Division of Quantitative Analysis of Markets and Organizations, argues that broadening the scope of these meal transfers would ramp up competition while enhancing student welfare.
Food trucks unable to provide meals at the meal transfer price could be pushed out of the dining market, resulting in the university-subsidized food options having a greater incentive to improve quality and service.
Witman emphasizes, “Competition increases welfare, especially consumer welfare. I would see this from the students’ perspective. If we care about student welfare, this is a positive in the short run.”
Although some food options exist on campus, they predominantly consist of generic university-branded delis known for serving repackaged goods that can be days old.
Students often find themselves waiting in line for what has been described as an unappetizing experience with day-old nigiri being a common sight.
This situation does not need to persist.
Transforming campus delis to include familiar franchises that students actually want to patronize could bring a significant shift.
As demand for quality food options grows, supply must rise to meet it, thereby creating value both for producers and consumers.
Integrating food franchises into campus buildings may be the most effective strategy for satisfying students’ hunger.
The college experience can be overwhelming, but students should not also feel underfed.
University administrators have the resources necessary to address this issue and considerably enhance student welfare, and action is long overdue.
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