Staff Editorial: An appetite for points

When Penn students want to grab a bite to eat, they currently have two options.

They can venture to one of the University's three traditional dining halls -- providing, of course, that they and their companions have meal plans -- and partake in a bounty of mediocre food, available at unreasonably high prices and only during specific hours of the day.

They can also stop by any one of the dozens of University City vendors, shops and restaurants -- and purchase a quick, made-to-order meal at a competitive price.

The choice is simple. And the recent failures of Dining Services prove it.

Penn's dining system, to put it simply, is in trouble. Over the last few years, students have been fleeing the University's less-than-glamorous dining halls in favor of cheaper retail options in the surrounding community. The exodus is punishing the finances of Dining Services, and putting its very viability in doubt.

Ironically, many of the retailers that are hurting the dining halls -- such as Houston Market and The Freshgrocer -- were developed and are supported by the University.

To their credit, Penn officials say they recognize the issue, and profess their commitment to reforming the way they do business. Up until now though, we have seen few solutions -- unless you count the flip-flopped meal plan requirement that infuriated students last spring.

Clearly, Penn students have developed a preference for individualized, low-cost meal options. As such, Dining Services must take immediate action to fundamentally change the structure and offerings within its three main dining halls.

One particular solution is a "points" system. By linking individual student accounts to participating local vendors -- and, hopefully, rejuvenated individual food outlets within the existing dining halls -- Penn can satisfy students' need for convenient dining options while funneling greater business to local retailers.

The option, if implemented properly, would solve Dining Services' revenue problems, while silencing the seemingly endless stream of student complaints about the quality of traditional dining hall fare.

The time to deliberate, though, is short. Penn students are as hungry as ever, and they're fleeing the dining halls more every day.

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