Loyalist cafeteria turns food court

By Steph Crosier

BELLEVILLE, ON (22/06/11) Students will be coming back to a new Loyalist College cafeteria this fall. Starting July 1 it will be renovated drastically into a food court. Photo by Steph Crosier

New food contractor at Loyalist College means a new mystery cafeteria for students to come back to.

Aramark is the new food contractor that will take over the contract from Chartwell’s Foods to operate the cafeteria at the college. Audrey Mitchell, supervisor of procurement services for Loyalist College, says the renovations are a secret.

“It is until it is announced to the staff,” said Mitchell. “I think it is only fair that everyone else hears about it first before it’s in the paper.”

The renovations start July.

“All I can tell you is that it will be food-court style,” said Mitchell. “Like what you would see in a mall.”

Aramark provides food services for post-secondary institutions all over North America. Their proposal was chosen out of many other companies including Chartwell’s.

Each proposal was assessed out of 100. Evaluation criteria for each proposal were company and management profile, financial proposal, technical proposal, capital improvements, and sustainability. A group of staff and students from the College graded the different companies.

Mitchell said she believes prices and hours will not change drastically. The menu however, will. On the Aramark website it shows different types of restaurants such as a Burger Studio, Subway and a Jamba Juice.

“The menu will be reviewed by several people with representation from across the college, students, as well as staff.” said Dianne Spencer, executive director of college advancement and external relations. “We’ll make sure the menu is approved by everyone.”

Tim Horton’s will remain in the Shark Tank and will also be run by Aramark.

Mitchell said that the college must go though a competitive process and that is why the cafeteria is getting a new contractor.

“We have procurement directives,” said Mitchell. “That we need to follow and in that directive it says that we have to go out for competitive process every so many years. Within our own college procurement policy, we have stipulated at every five to seven years we’ll go out on a competitive process for all of our contracts at the college.”