UHD should improve its to-go meal options for students
October 4, 2022
Through the Eco2Go program, University Housing and Dining allows students to package their food to-go. For those on a tight schedule, this program is an affordable and sustainable way to create a more flexible and efficient dining hall experience.
Yet, Eco2Go is restrictive in some crucial ways. To start, it is only available during dining hall hours, which may not accommodate the needs and preferences of many students. The program also fails to sufficiently quicken the dining process, given that students still have to wait in long lines to get their food.
To improve its services, UHD should implement a new program which allows students to pick up pre-packaged meals from campus dining halls. Residential and commuter meal plans should include this program. Since campus convenience stores, like Jester City Market and Kin’s Market, stay open past dining hall closing time, UHD should designate these locations for to-go meal pick up.
Neuroscience freshman Camila Alejandra Pozo Araujo shared her experience with UHD dining halls.
“It closes too early for me,” Pozo Araujo said. “I come from South America, and we just tend to have our meals a little bit later in the day, especially dinner. So having to get dinner at seven to make sure that I’ll have good food options left is quite early compared to the 9 or 10 p.m. dinner that I used to have when I was back home.”
When students are in a rush, the traditional dining hall experience is not efficient enough. Further, dining hall hours restrict students’ ability to eat at the time that’s best for them. A new program that offers pre-packaged meals after closing time would better accommodate students like Pozo Araujo.
Ally Mitchell, a public relations and psychology freshman, shared her perspective on the implementation of pre-packaged, to-go meals at dining halls.
“I think a lot of people would like to-go meals, especially when the dining halls are super busy at noon or at 6 p.m.,” Mitchell said. “I think a lot of people would appreciate being able to take a box of food and leave.”
Josue Rodriguez, assistant director of marketing and communications at UHD, mentions existing programs at UT, besides Eco2Go, which bring to-go meal options.
“We do have available options for (students) to do to-go … our grab-and-go options that are available either in our coffee shops and also in our convenience stores,” Rodriguez said.
In addition to the grab-and-go options, students can order food ahead through the GET mobile app without hassle. However, the meal plan does not include these options in the long-term as they require payment through Bevo Pay, Dine In Dollars or debit and credit cards. So, meal plan students who have exhausted their Bevo Pay and Dine In Dollars are inclined to eat in the dining halls, even if they would prefer a quicker option.
“It’s just not an option for me to be paying every single time for a (to-go) meal when I have the meal plan,” Pozo Araujo said.
UHD should create a new program in which students can pick up pre-packaged, to-go meals at UHD-owned convenience stores after dining halls close. Meal plans should cover the costs of these to-go meals. Given that current to-go meal programs have proven insufficient in meeting student needs, this program would be an ideal supplement for those who need a quick and flexible meal option.
D’Eramo is a Plan II and International Relations junior from Tyler, Texas.
