CCNY Bids Goodbye to Controversial Food Vendor – and On-Campus Dining
Words by Mia Milosevic
Photographs by Paul Root
CCNY students letout a collective sign of relief after the college announced last week that theschool will be parting ways with its current food service contractor,Centerplate. But even as students, faculty, and staff wait for better foodservices on campus, the change will leave many hungry. Starting March 22, themain student cafeteria, the faculty lounge, the Rotunda Café, and Marshak Caféwill all be closed for the remainder of the spring semester.
Centerplate hasbeen supplying food to City College since the fall of 2017, but its service has long been thesubject of critique. Students complain that on-campus food is sub-par, and inno way justifies its expensive price tag.
“More often thannot, the surrounding food businesses have options that are significantly betterand way more affordable,” says Trevor Schlam, a sonic arts major. “Cafe Onetakes way better care of our students than the NAC Cafeteria does.”
Despite the complaints,Centerplate made no real attempt to adjust its services, so the college’sAuxiliary Enterprises Corporation (AEC) cut the cord. “We’ve received a numberof comments and concerns from students, faculty and staff regarding the qualityand variety of food offerings by the contractor,” AEC admitted in an email tothe community.
“Centerplatestruggled to effectively respond to these customer service concerns, and salesdeclined,” AEC added, citing this as the reason for terminating therelationship with the outside contractor.
The AEC assured students that the University is reviewing a number of proposals fromvarious food/cafeteria operators, but in themeantime, it is also exploring some more creative catering options.These include continuing to work with some of Centerplate’s vendors, bringing mobilefood vendors onto the campus, and adding new vending machines to buildingsacross the campus.
“The AEC is partnering with Canteen,the nation’s largest food vending machine services company, to expand thenumber of vending machines across the campus. Expanded variety will include aselection of hot beverages, sandwiches, and healthy snacks,” the AEC stated. “Inaddition, we’ve notified Canteen that we are interested in becoming one offirst CUNY campuses to host their new robotic frozen yogurt machines.”
With nowhere to eat on campus afterMarch 22, the corporation suggested brown-bagging it. “The cafeteria will remain open and accessibleto all students,” AEC explained. “Students should feel free to eat their homeprepared or purchased food in the cafeteria.”
The sudden change, most likely theresult of the college’s continuting financial crisis, has been met with confusion– and annoyance. “This seems like a weird move,” says Sabrina Cohen, an engineeringstudent. “It’s like they’re trying to save money, but going about it in themost inconvenient way.”
Unfortunately, this is not the firsttime City College has found itself in this position. Before switching toCenterplate in 2017, the school had just hired new vendors in 2015. That year, theMetropolitan Food Service Inc., CCNY’s previous vendor, was dismissed due toterrible health violations, worker mistreatment, and ultimately, bad food.
Despite everything, not all CityCollege students seem worried about the upcoming changes. Says Cohen: “As long as the Halal Guys are still around, I think we’llbe okay.”
