Year two of the Dining Services rebuilding project is well underway, with Aramark at the helm after a long-term extension of their 12-month initial contract.
And after the progress made in just one year, there is much reason to be hopeful about the future of campus dining at Penn.
Under Aramark's stewardship, Dining Services made a significant amount of money last year. Meal plan participation was up 10 percent among upperclassmen, an impressive figure considering the recent erosion of non-freshmen in dining halls.
In addition to this, Aramark has made good on its promise to bring outside vendors in an effort to attract more students. Subway and Chick-fil-A are two of the mainstream brand names added to the ground floor of 1920 Commons, giving students another on-campus dining option outside of the traditional setting.
In short, Aramark had a successful first year by all accounts, and it reflects well on the University, which broke away from former dining management company Bon Appetit in an effort to bring in fresh blood.
It is clear, though, that while Aramark has made a strong first step, there is work to be done. Students continue to complain about both the quality and price of food in the traditional dining halls, and for good reason. And some dining hall staffers have expressed concern over how they are treated by their employer.
These are areas that Aramark can now afford to focus on. A great deal of progress was made in the company's first year in the driver's seat. With the help of Penn's Department of Business Services, Aramark has taken what seemed to be a dying entity and given it new life.
Students and staff have identified the next steps that must be taken if Dining Services is to continue on its successful path. The first successful year earned Aramark a long-term contract. Now, the company must prove that Penn made the right investment.
