Campus Dining: Current and Future Possibilities

A Research Analysis
March 15, 2015
Michelle Dunham, Caroline Grant, Liza Marlette, Isabel Savenor

Background and Objectives

Elon University is a medium sized liberal arts University with an undergraduate student body of
nearly 6,000 students. Elon is growing every year, as is the need for increased on campus dining
options. Currently Elon has three main dining halls as well as 12 on campus retail food options
where students are able to use their meal plans. Elon offers five meal plan options, all with
different amounts of coverage. The largest meal plan Elon offers is the All Access +14. This
plan allows students to visit any of the dining halls an unlimited number of times, as well an
additional 14 meal swipes per week, which they can use at on-campus retail food locations.
This meal plan also gives students 400 meal dollars to use at the various retail food locations.
The most basic meal plan Elon offers is the Block 200, which allows students 200 meals per
year at either on-campus retail food locations or dining halls, as well as 500 meal dollars to use
at any of the retail food locations on campus. Our objective is to evaluate students attitudes
toward campus dining options and to determine if improvements can be made or if other options
are needed on campus. To help us with our research we used three main questions:
RQ1: Are the current on-campus dining options satisfying all of the dining needs that students
have?
RQ2: What dining needs do students have are currently not being met by current on-campus
options?
RQ3: Is there a need for a new dining option on campus?

Procedures and Methodologies

To evaluate students attitudes toward campus dining options and to determine if improvements
can be made or if other options are needed on campus, we decided to conduct a focus group. To
get participants for our focus group we used a convenience sample, with the only qualification
being that participants must have a meal plan to ensure that they frequent on-campus dining
options. The focus group consisted of ten people, eight were female and two were male. All but
two of the participants were underclassmen and all but one lived on-campus. To make make our
focus group more appealing we bought baked goods as incentives for our participants. Before the
focus group started we told participants what type of research we were conducting and that we
would be recording them so that they could give their verbal consent.
To start off the focus group participants were asked to tell their name, major, year and favorite
meal. The favorite meal question, as well as a few other basic questions about dining at Elon,
were really used as a warmup to get the participants comfortable and ready to talk to each other
for the next hour. Once the focus group really went under way, the main topics that were
addressed were:

 Meal plan what meal plans participants had and if they were planning on
changing that in the future.
Dining hours if current dining hall and retail food options had appropriate
hours or if any place was open too frequently or not enough.
Dietary options any food restrictions they may have and if Elon is
accommodating to those needs. Also, if there are enough healthy options
offered.
Dissatisfaction with current optionsif Elon is meeting all of their dining
needs or if participants ever have to venture off-campus to satisfy a need oncampus dining doesn't.
Dining environmentambience of current dining options and staff attitudes
that work at dining options.
Dining location how where participants live and go to class affects where
they eat most often.
New additionsif participants were happy with Elons announcement of new
additions and if there is anything that on campus dining is still missing.
At the end of the focus group all participants were asked to name one dining
option that they wish Elon had. After they the focus group wrapped up by
going over some of the main points participants made and giving any
participant the option to voice any final thoughts.

Detailed Findings
Attitudes About Available Food Choices
If you eliminate the unhealthy options, there are very few options on campus
If the dining hall has bad vegetables I wont go there and that is usually the case.
I have a friend whos gluten free and she has a hard time finding things to eat on campus.
If youre a vegetarian there arent many other options.
Throughout the focus group, the topic of unhealthy food options continued to be brought up.
When the participants were asked what needs are not being met by the food options on campus,
every participant agreed that it is very difficult to get a healthy meal on campus. Since everyone
has their own definition of healthy, we asked the participants to break down these needs for us.
The participants mentioned the lack of fresh fruit and vegetables, lack of alternative options for

those with dietary restrictions, low quality meats and overall unavailability of healthy choices on
campus.
Many participants stated that they never eat fruits or vegetables on campus because they are
never fresh enough to eat. The participants said that many places offer fruit but most of the time
the fruit is bruised or not very appetizing. They would like fresher fruit and more of a variety of
options. One participant said, I have never seen a strawberry on campus. The fruit is always
bananas, apples and oranges and the participants would like to have more options. Some specific
examples of other fruits they mentioned they would like to have as options are berries, peaches
or pineapples. The participants also made it very clear they would love to have better access to
fresh vegetables. Each person said they prefer to buy vegetables from the grocery store and cook
them themselves over buying them from a dining hall. The participants said it is very hard to find
vegetables on campus and when you do, they are always soggy and unappetizing.
Many of the participants also stated that they would appreciate having a fresher salad bar on
campus. Because the vegetables are never fresh, they do not enjoy the salads that are offered at
any of the dining facilities. Going along with this, they mentioned they wish there were better
options for protein at the salad bars and in the dining facilities in general. One of the participants
said, The meat can be very sketchy. The participants agreed that oftentimes the meat in all
dining locations does not meet their standards and therefore they choose not to eat it.
There were three participants who could give a perspective on the availability of other options
for those with food restrictions. One participant was lactose intolerant, one participant had a
close friend who was a vegetarian and another participant had a close friend who was gluten free.
The participant who was lactose intolerant said that she has not had too much difficulty with
finding food on campus because she is able to take medicine that helps the intolerance and she
therefore doesnt have extremely strict food restrictions. The participant who had a friend that
was a vegetarian said her friend often has trouble finding food she can eat because there isnt
always a vegetarian option on campus. Finally, the participant who had a friend who was gluten
free said her friend is constantly struggling to find gluten-free food and there are rarely alternate
options that she is able to eat.
Overall, the participants agreed that there are not enough healthy options to meet everyones
health needs. Every person has a different view of healthy and it appears Elon dining is not
meeting all of students health needs. This could be improved by offering more of a variety of
fresher fruits and vegetables, higher quality meats, more alternative options for those with
dietary restrictions and overall more healthy meal options throughout all of the campus dining
facilities.
Locations/Environment

Theres not a fun place. Theres nowhere that you want to go for a birthday dinner.
There is a need for healthy, fast options.
Overall, Elon dining places have good customer service
If McEwen is no longer there, there will not be enough traditional dining halls
When it comes to Elon dining options, there are many different types of places to go get food.
Each dining location has a different environment and the locations are spread out across campus.
The participants discussed the importance location plays in deciding where to eat, the need for
different types of dining environments and the customer service at the dining places.
All of the participants agreed that most of the time they choose where to eat based on where they
live or the location of their classes. One participant said, If I didnt live on campus I wouldnt
eat on campus nearly as much. The participants shared that most of the time they chose where
to eat on campus based on convenience. If they are leaving their home to go eat, they will go
somewhere nearby to get food and if they are grabbing food in between classes, they will get
something close to their class building. When we mentioned that with the expansion of Elons
dining options there will be the removal of McEwen dining hall, many participants expressed
concern. Because so many people choose to get food at their nearest location, the participants are
concerned that all of the students that live in historic will need somewhere else to eat and it will
overcrowd the other dining halls. Therefore, the location is an important factor to consider when
deciding if the dining needs of students are being met.
The participants also explained the need for multiple different dining environments. Many
participants mentioned that it is very important that there are quick dining options but also
slower dining environments. One participant said, During the day I like to go to places that
make it easy to grab something and leave. The participants showed excitement when we
brought up the idea of a dining location where students can place an order online and then pick it
up quickly. They said many students would enjoy this option as long as it is always efficient. A
few participants also explained that they would enjoy a place on-campus with a cool atmosphere
where they can sit down and enjoy a fun meal with their friends. One participant said, Theres
not a fun place. Theres nowhere that you want to go for a birthday dinner. The participants said
that it would be cool if there was an on-campus dining option that is a real restaurant. The
examples some participants gave were The Root, Chipotle and a steak house. Some participants
mentioned that other schools have this option and they would really like it if Elon offered this as
well.
Finally, the participants discussed the customer service that they receive at all of the dining
locations. Overall, the participants agreed that they get good customer service at most of the

dining locations. It was mentioned that the employees are smiling often. It was also stated that
there is some area for improvement in some locations. One participant said, The Einstein
workers are always very sassy and another participant said The Colonnades workers always
seem way too stressed and annoyed. Although there is room for improvement, the participants
seemed happy with the customer service at all locations overall.
In summary, when it comes to location, it is important that there are dining areas in all of the
different areas of campus because students tend to chose where they go to eat based on
convenience. When it comes to the environment of the dining locations, the participants agreed
that there is a need for both quick and slow food options on campus. The participants are content
with the customer service they receive at the dining locations however there is always room for
improvement.

Operating Hours of On Campus Dining Found to be Inconvenient in Many Students

Schedules
I just hate that theres nothing open on Fridays and Saturdays.
Sometimes breakfast closes too early
Everyone has very different schedules and sometimes Im not having dinner until after 9
oclock and there is only one place open.
We asked the participants in our focus group if they felt that the hours of operation for Elon were
convenient in their own personal schedules, and the response was overwhelmingly no. While
most of the participants agreed that finding somewhere to eat lunch was not a problem, it is much
more difficult to find somewhere to have breakfast and dinner.
On the average weeknight, most of the on campus dining options close at either 8 p.m. or 9 p.m.,
with only four exceptions. Acorn coffee shop, Qdoba Mexican Grill, Topios, and the Lakeside
Dining Hall all close between 10 p.m. and 1 a.m. But, through our discussion we found that the
options that are open later are often inconvenient because of location, or lack the healthy options
that students feel they are missing from their diet. For this reason, many of our participants said
that when this happens that they either buy groceries to keep in their dorm rooms, or go out to
eat.
Students also said that they believed that they did not have enough options for breakfast. Only
two of the dining halls serve breakfast, and they both close at 10 a.m., which most students found
difficult to make it to in time, especially if they have a morning class. This scheduling problem,
once again, caused students to purchase more breakfast foods to keep in their dorm rooms,

instead of eating breakfast on campus. One participant explained, I have to buy granola bars
because breakfast closes too early and I need something before my class.
Another time when students found there to be a problem with the operating hours in relation to
their schedule, was on the weekend or during times when the school is not operating on its
normal class schedule, such as weekends, exam weeks or winter term. When asked when they
most often eat off campus, one of the participants immediately responded, the weekends.
Through further discussion, it became apparent that students did this not because of the food, but
because of the lack of options on campus. Several participants also expressed that during winter
term they probably ate off campus twice a day due to the lack of open options on campus.
Overall, it seemed as if most of the students would feel more satisfied with Elon on campus
dining if the operating hours became more accommodating to different schedules. The
participants stated that Elon students are incredibly busy and often find it difficult to eat on
campus because of the limited hours and options.
Optimism in Response to Elons New Dining Options
Pei Wei! Its so good.
It sounds good, but if its not fresh
It sounds awesome.
Elon recently announced the new food options that will be added in the fall of 2017. These new
options will include, Greens and Grains, a salad and soup area, Pei Wei, an Asian restaurant,
Knead, a breakfast and sandwich restaurant that is similar to Panera Breads, Clean Juice, a juice
and smoothie option, and Home & Away, an Italian, Greek and Mediterranean option. With these
additions, there will also be the removal of Varsity Sports Grill and the Acorn Coffee Shop.
Overall, the participants seemed excited about the new options that will be available. However,
they did stress that the actual execution of the food will be essential. When asked if the new
dining options would make them feel generally more satisfied with Elon dining, several
participants expressed that as long as the food is fresh, they believe that the new additions will
increase their satisfaction with Elon dining.
While the reaction was generally positive, there were still a few concerns. One of the most
significant that we heard was in regard to coffee. Several of our participants agreed that if Acorn
is removed, they will not have a place to get coffee on the meal plan, as the other two coffee
shops on campus remain separate. As college students, many agreed that they should have some
coffee option on campus where they do not have to pay out of their own pockets.

One other aspect that triggered negative responses from the participants, was the fact that for the
2016/17 school year, there will only be two traditional dining halls on campus. For students who
do not live close to the dining halls, it will be inconvenient and they fear that the dining halls will
become overcrowded.
Despite those complaints, we found that if these new additions are successful, nearly all of the
participants agreed that they would be more likely to stay on the meal plan once they become
upperclassmen. Prior to hearing about the new additions, most of the underclassmen that
participated did not believe that they would stay on the meal plan for their two years as a junior
and senior.

Summary and Implications

The participants of our focus group had an overall positive attitude towards on-campus dining
options at Elon. Our participants were majority first years and two juniors. The freshman ate on
campus and at the dining halls, more so than the juniors, who only ate on campus during the days
when it is convenient to their class schedule. Every participant had a meal plan, ranging from
200-block to all-access +14.
One of the biggest issues our participants had with on campus dining options is the hours that
they are open. They unanimously agreed that dining options are not open early enough in the
morning or late enough in the evening. They also agreed that the hours are worse on the
weekends and that more options should be open and available to students on the weekend. In
addition, they said that the only options open late at night on the weekends are both unhealthy
and expensive places, such as Topios, which requires an all-access swipe, meal dollars or
phoenix cash. Therefore, dining options, such as dining halls and specialty on-campus restaurants
need to be open for longer hours both in the morning and evening and on the weekends.
If you eliminate the unhealthy options, there are very few options on campus.
Healthy food was a big topic for discussion amongst our participants. They all mentioned that
their decision making process included the consideration of fresh foods and protein, such as
fruits, vegetables and lean meat, and that they go to specific dining halls for these foods in
particular. Overall, our participants felt that there were not enough healthy options on campus
and on the meal plans. In order to eat somewhere considered healthy, such as Boars Head or
Freshii, students have to pay with meal dollars, phoenix cash or all-access swipes, which are
limited. We concluded that more, healthier options need to be added to campus that are included
on the meal plans as a swipe, so that it is more affordable to students. Our participants voiced a
lot of displeasure with the lack of fresh foods, especially in the dining hall salad bars which are

supposed to be fresh, therefore, Elon would benefit from improving their current salad bars, fruit
and vegetable sections within their current dining halls.
Lastly, the upcoming additions to campus were discussed within our focus group. Our
participants had positive reactions in particular towards the addition of a mini Company Shops
co-op in the new Park Place building, as well as the new healthier options being added to
McEwen, such as Knead, Greens and Grains, Clean Juice, as well as the food trucks that will be
available in Historic neighborhood during weekday lunch hours. The new additions also come
with the closing of McEwen dining hall, which they had negative reactions to because the other
dining halls are across campus and will become crowded. They had discussed that other schools
had better quality, creative and healthy options on their campuses, such as High Point
Universitys steak house, Wake Forest Universitys restaurant and Chapel Hills 24-hour dining
hall with fresh food and diverse options. With the addition of the new options to Elons campus,
some of their previously missing needs will be met, but it was discussed that our campus still
lacks a restaurant that is included on the meal plan. Our participants often eat out at The Root,
Tangent, Pandoras and Simply Thai, but they are expensive because they are not included in
meal plans. Therefore, with the removal of McEwen dining hall, Elon should add an on-campus
restaurant that can be affordable for those without a meal plan, or be paid for with a swipe for
those who do.
Overall, our research found that Elon Dining lacks in a few places. Hours of operation, quality
and freshness of food, healthy options and affordability are the biggest areas that need
improvement. Our participants mentioned that as they become upperclassmen and move off
campus, they most likely will not buy a meal plan. They did, however, say that if Elon were to
improve in these areas, and added more options which appealed to their needs, they would stay
on one of the lower meal plans, such as 200 and 400 block.
Appendices
Warm-Up
Introductions - Name, grade, your ideal dinner
Set Ground Rules - no wrong answers, we would encourage if you have comments to please
share them, one person talk at a time, please be respectful of others answers/opinions, if you
need to leave for any circumstance, please do so quietly
Rapport - there is note paper available for thoughts and doodling, share with them that we are
doing this for a class, their answers are confidential, we are recording for our purposes and the
recordings will be turned into our professor after the fact and will not come out again, your
identity will be kept unknown in our research presentation

 Procedure - notetakers will not interfere with the focus group at any time. If one participant is at
any point extremely disruptive or disrespectful they will be asked to leave and the focus group
will continue on, but no quotes will be used from that participant.
Research Objective: To evaluate students attitudes toward campus dining options and to
determine if improvements can be made or if other options are needed on campus.

Lead-In
What is your favorite place to eat on campus and why?
What is your least favorite place on campus and why?
Have you been to all of the dining options on campus? Which ones and why?
How do you pick where you are going to eat throughout the day?
Sequence/Discussion

Meal Plan
What type of meal plan do you have? (Thoughts - what made you choose it, how do you feel
about it, does it meet your needs)
Upperclassmen, what made you choose to stay on the meal plan once you became an
upperclassmen?
Underclassmen, are you planning on staying on the meal plan once you become an
upperclassmen? Why or why not?
Dining Hours
What meal (or meals) do you typically eat on campus? Breakfast, lunch or dinner?
Do you feel that there are enough dining options that fit your schedule?
Would you like more late night or early morning options?
Do you feel that there are enough options on the weekends?
Dietary Options
How does healthful food play into your decision making process when choosing where to eat?
How do you about the current healthy options on campus? Do you think there are enough, what
could be done to improve them?
Do you have any dietary restrictions (gluten free, lactose intolerant, vegetarian, allergies, etc.)? If
so, how do you think that Elon does in facilitating those restrictions?
Dissatisfaction with Current Dining Options
Have the dining options at Elon created any diet restrictions for you? (Foods you generally eat
are not offered here)
What specific needs do you feel are not being met with current dining options? What needs are
being met?
Do you ever go to the grocery store to buy foods that you cannot get on campus? If yes, what
kinds?

How often do you eat off campus? When you do, where do you go and why? How could Elon
dining change to meet these needs?

Dining Environment
How do you feel about the environment of many of the dining options?
Do you like to go with friends or grab something by yourself?
How does the variety of dining environments fill your needs or not fill your needs?
Is there a need for quicker food experiences or slow dining with friends?
Would Elon dining would benefit from an online ordering service? (Order ahead of time to avoid
waiting)
If yes, which campus dining options would you eat at using this service?
Would this persuade you to eat at on campus more or less often?
How is the customer service at the current Elon dining options?
Are there areas within the Elon dining staff that you think could be improved?

Dining Location
How does location impact you choosing where you are going to eat?

New Addition
Are there dining options at other schools that you wish Elon had?
How do you feel about the recently announced new dining additions that will come to campus
next year?
Pei Wei-- fast & casual division of PF Changs. Knead--Panera type restaurant that will have a
grab and go option. Greens and Grains--expansive salad bar. Clean Juice--juice/smoothie bar.
Home & Away-- Italian, Greek, and Mediterranean food. Company Shops Co-Op. Food trucks in
the historic neighborhood Monday-Friday from 11-2.
With these added, do you think that you will feel satisfied with the dining options on campus?
With the new additions, there will also be some replacements. How do you feel about the dining
options that are being removed from campus?
Chik-Fil-A will be closed for a year. Varsity is permanently being removed. Acorn being
removed after a year
How would new on-campus dining options impact your decision to stay on a meal plan in the
coming years?

Wrap-Up
- Is there a dining option that you wish was available on campus?
Summarize important points weve made during the discussion.
Let them share one final thought about

Research Questions:

Are the current on-campus dining options satisfying all of the dining needs that students have?
What dining needs that students have are currently not being met by on-campus options?
Is there a need for a new dining option on campus?