Wawa, LeBus say they will not yet accept QuakerCard

Lack of contracts is the only hold-up; card operators say negotiations should wrap up within two weeks Though the QuakerCard debit card was supposed to begin operations across campus yesterday, the Wawa Food Mart at 38th and Spruce streets turned many students away when they tried to purchase items on the card. Store manager Cosmas Njoko said Wawa has not yet signed a final contract with University Student Services, Inc., the student-owned company behind the QuakerCard. Until a contract is signed, the store will not accept the card, he said. LeBus, at 3402 Sansom Street, has not yet signed a contract with the card operators, and will not accept the card immediately either, according to the restaurant's owners. The QuakerCard, which was heavily advertised in mail sent to parents of Penn students over the summer, allows students to put money into a debit account. They can then use the card to purchase food in several restaurants near campus. The card's promotional materials said contracts were pending with Wawa and LeBus, but did not specifically warn students not to use cards there. For the time being, the owners have asked the company to place signs in the store windows informing students that no contracts have been finalized. But students who tried to use the cards yesterday were caught unaware. Engineering sophomore Emily Rothman said she did not realize the card could not be used at Wawa or LeBus. "The card said it was for immediate use, so I just assumed you could use it at LeBus," she said. "Luckily I had cash with me." Wharton senior Matthew Levenson, one of the four founders of the QuakerCard company, said their contracts with both businesses are "looking good, but are not definite yet." "We estimate two more weeks from the owners until finalization," Levenson said. "As for Wawa, we have gotten approval from the regional manager of the store chains, but we are still sifting through red tape and complications towards getting the final approval from the corporate office," he added. According to Levenson, the LeBus contract discussions began later than those with Wawa. The owners are still waiting to see how successful the plan is with other restaurant establishments, he said. "With LeBus, it's just a matter of hammering out the details," he added. The idea for the QuakerCard came about last January when Levenson and his three co-founders were completing a project for a Management class. "We felt this sort of plan was long overdue at Penn," Levenson said, adding that many other universities already have similar programs. But despite several angry students who were unable to use their QuakerCards yesterday, the product continues to sell. "We've beaten what we expected and we lie between this number and our best-case scenario," Levenson said. "The stores and students are pleased and so are we." Levenson refused to reveal how many QuakerCards have been sold or how much money students have put on their cards. The QuakerCard is hooked up to an on-line computer system so students can have their cards deactivated if lost or stolen. And students may also call for a balance or receive a printed statement of their transactions. "We've really spared no expense with our equipment," Levenson said. "The fact that Penn has no meals on weekends and offers no similar plan is really to our advantage," Levenson said. "We want to give the students exactly what they want." Some restaurants that are already accepting the QuakerCard are enthusiastic.