U. offers faculty, staff frequent eating cards

For the first time ever, Penn Dining Services distributed frequent eater club cards to faculty and staff last week.

These cards will allow them to receive a free meal at the Shops at 1920 Commons and at Houston Market for every four meals they purchase there. A meal is allocated as the purchase of items that are valued above $7.

The purpose of these cards is to make sure that the various members of the Penn community know about “the great food we have, and to come try it,” according to Director of Business Services for Penn Dining Laurie Cousart.

Penn is a “big campus, and the many needs of the faculty, staff, graduates and other client groups need to be considered,” Cousart said.

“I think that sounds awesome,” College freshman Olivia Lenz said. “Yes, I would like to see this option offered to students, but I feel like the faculty put in a whole lot of effort so they should get a priority on these sorts of the things.”

Although these cards are just for faculty and staff, there is a similar on-campus option available for students at Yoreka!, the self-serve yogurt venture under Commons. Yoreka! cards are offered to faculty, staff and students and provide them with a free eighth meal if they have previously purchased seven meals valued over $3.

The idea for the frequent-eater club cards was created by Penn’s food service provider Bon Appetit with the aim of introducing the new dining changes to members of the Penn community other than students, Cousart said. The marketing strategy focused on faculty because many students are already involved in Penn dining — they have a meal plans and can participate in the many food-oriented events that are held throughout the year, she added.

“I am not particularly against this,” Wharton sophomore Lauren Brady said. “I mean a lot of jobs have perks, and I don’t think it’s necessary to expand this to students since Penn Dining is pretty fair about everything, including their prices.”

“Since most of Penn Dining is geared toward students and faculty, it is nice to see the staff involved with these benefits,” University spokesman and card holder Jordon Reese said. It was a “great way of letting people know that there were other food options and to take advantage of them.”

During the summer, the “primary audience” of Penn Dining Services will be the faculty and staff, so the cards are being launched now in order to encourage visits to the dining facilities, according to Business Services spokeswoman Barbara Lea-Kruger.

Since receiving the card, Business Services Executive Assistant and card holder Tracy Hawkins has been trying out Houston regularly. Even as a vegan, Hawkins said she has found plenty of options.

Penn Dining Services has provided faculty with an “effective reminder to use the cards at various Penn Dining facilities,” by giving them something colorful, attractive and solid, Cousart said.

“I have to confess that I was a little surprised at how good the food was,” Hawkins said. “It has been 30 years since I was in college, and it definitely wasn’t this good back then.”

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