Campusfood.com, an online food-ordering service that got its start at Penn in 1997, has expanded in a direction that may bring it more directly into competition with colleges' own dining plans.
The new program, called Campusfood Cash, allows students or their parents to set up a balance of between $20 and $500 with the service in advance, upon which they may they draw throughout the year. The account rolls over from semester to semester.
On the surface, Campusfood Cash seems similar in principle to Penn's Dining Dollars and PennCash, and Campus-food.com founder and originator of Campusfood Cash Michael Saunders graduated from the College in 1998. However, Saunders himself could not be reached for comment, and Campusfood.com spokeswoman Christine Heller said she was not aware of any connection.
"We wanted to make a better service for students," Heller said.
She added that "we see ourselves as ... an alternative to [a meal plan] or a supplement to one."
Heller was not sure whether or not anyone had yet participated in the service, the availability of which is currently dependent on restaurant participation in a given area. However, Campusfood.com plans to make the service nationally available.
Heller added that pre-made accounts are "what we'll evolve to" in terms of how customers purchase food from restaurants using the service.
Officials from Penn Dining Services and Aramark could not be reached yesterday.
Campusfood.com currently operates on about 300 campuses and allows customers to order food online from some 1,500 restaurants.
The company, now headquartered in New York and boasting more than 30 employees, has made its money in the past by charging restaurants to be listed on the Web site.
Heller said that the ordering service itself will remain free for users, but she acknowledged that students will be charged a small "loading fee" for adding money to their accounts.
Campusfood.com allows Penn students to order food from over 30 restaurants on and around campus, including the Greek Lady, Allegro Pizza and Lee's Hoagie House.
In March, Campusfood.com reported over half a million registered users, with Penn generating several thousand orders per week.
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