The year 2020 brought drastic changes across the country. Unfortunately, there was no industry left untouched, including the college foodservice industry. Staffing shortages forced dining halls to modify or eliminate the services offered. Students moved away from communal dining for a time, and takeout was the only way to get food. While takeout and delivery are still popular options, there's a shift towards options that give students the ability to sit and eat together again.
What's Shaping the College Food Hall Changes?
Every semester seems to bring a new set of challenges with it, but the past two years have created the need for drastic changes in college dining halls. Many campuses are redesigning their dining halls to bring students in. They have created meals with trendy ingredients and provided options in response to student requests. Many dining halls had to figure out how to serve students with call-ahead orders and those who walk in the door. This requires different processes to fill these orders, which is challenging with decreased staff.
Dining halls have added more self-serve options aligned with the latest trends. This includes vegan stations and stations with food that does not contain the most common allergens. In addition, social media, like Tik Tok, has driven many food trends, and dining halls are creating food concept stations to keep up with the trends students are interested in. If dining halls can attract students with the latest trends, they are more likely to eat in the dining halls than somewhere else.
Revenue Gained from Meals
Sales from on-campus eating are contingent on the type of food that is being served along with its convenience. Today's college students are looking for different options than students in years past. That's not only because of the wide variety of meal options people are exposed to. But also because the traditional student profile has changed. Offering international food choices, fresh fruits and vegetables, quick grab-n-go options, and a well-rounded menu can help keep food sales on-campus.
On average, a college meal plan costs $18.75 a day but can go as high as $36 per day. In 2018, on-campus dining produced more than $18 billion in revenue. Providing a variety of meals, along with offering delivery and pick up options and easy ways to pay encourage purchases and keep money from being spent at off-campus establishments.
Equipment Solutions To Keep Up With The Trends
Fortunately, foodservice equipment is available to colleges and universities dining halls to meet students' changing needs.
Carter-Hoffmann Pickup Cabinet (PUC) Food Lockers
For students interested in contactless pick-up, Carter-Hoffmann PUC lockers are the answer. Allowing students to place orders and pay online and then pick up their orders with no contact with staff, the PUC also has configurable designs to fit any space. So they work within the dining hall area or for larger campuses, in high traffic areas or dorm areas.
EVO EVent Griddle
The Evo EVent griddle is innovative and highly efficient. Designed for front-of-house cooking, the EVent brings theater to meal making. With a unique ventilation system that pulls air across the surface using filters to remove grease and smoke, its ventless capabilities allow cooking in places you might not have imagined.
Evo Plancha Griddle
The Evo Plancha Griddle is ideal for high-production dining halls. It has Smart Heat that is electronically controlled to ensure the surface remains at the perfect temperature to sear and sauté.
Bluezone
Bluezone uses UV light technology to kill viruses and extend the shelf life of food, making it ideal for dining hall kitchens. The UV-C air purification unit kills up to 99.9995 percent of viruses in the air, including the flu and covid. Designated as a Class II medical device by the Food and Drug Administration, it's easy to install and doesn't require additional ductwork.
The Bluezone UV food preservation system is installed inside refrigeration units and removes contaminants inside, including bacteria, mold, and ethylene, that can deteriorate food quicker. As a result, Bluezone reduces food waste and helps food maintain taste, texture, and color.
Learn more about equipment that can help your university or college increase on-campus sales by booking time in our test kitchen for hands-on experience.
