Comments on: Trays a la carte http://www.wastedfood.com/2009/02/19/trays-a-la-carte/ a look at how America squanders nearly half of its food Wed, 08 Feb 2012 07:04:29 +0000 hourly 1 By: Dan Livingston (CHOW) http://www.wastedfood.com/2009/02/19/trays-a-la-carte/comment-page-1/#comment-86718 Dan Livingston (CHOW) Fri, 20 Feb 2009 13:21:30 +0000 http://www.wastedfood.com/2009/02/19/trays-a-la-carte/#comment-86718 Katherine, I'm inclined to agree with the latter part of what you've said (the recent UT Austin article seems to back you up as well: http://www.dailytexanonline.com/1.1375063-1.1375063 ), however I think we should understand something about the college meal-plan. In the instance of SUNY Binghamton, a University of over 10,000 students with five residential dining halls and one massive food court, there isn't a "pay as you go" option for students on meal plan. You pay (or, in most cases, your parents pay--a point not to be overlooked) a lump sum at the beginning of the semester which is supposed to carry you through the semester of dining. Since it's a use-it-or-lose-it plan, the dining facilities are guaranteed that revenue for the semester regardless of what you eat or at what pace. Additionally--if Jonathan's work has taught us anything thus far--there is a whole lot of social behavior coming into play in this situation. We bring our behaviors into the dining hall (in this case, students--most of whom are supported by their parents). I'm wondering how much our behaviors are really altered by the a-la-carte versus buffet-style dining situations. I think that one of the interesting phenomena at play with the Trayless Initiative is that we are introducing a very jarring and new aspect to familiar dining situations, which FORCE us to modify our behavior. I think the fact that we resort to this tactic at all is a testament to the strength of our social conditioning coming into the dining hall (not to mention, the conditioning we receive from home). Katherine,
I’m inclined to agree with the latter part of what you’ve said (the recent UT Austin article seems to back you up as well: http://www.dailytexanonline.com/1.1375063-1.1375063 ), however I think we should understand something about the college meal-plan. In the instance of SUNY Binghamton, a University of over 10,000 students with five residential dining halls and one massive food court, there isn’t a “pay as you go” option for students on meal plan. You pay (or, in most cases, your parents pay–a point not to be overlooked) a lump sum at the beginning of the semester which is supposed to carry you through the semester of dining. Since it’s a use-it-or-lose-it plan, the dining facilities are guaranteed that revenue for the semester regardless of what you eat or at what pace.

Additionally–if Jonathan’s work has taught us anything thus far–there is a whole lot of social behavior coming into play in this situation. We bring our behaviors into the dining hall (in this case, students–most of whom are supported by their parents). I’m wondering how much our behaviors are really altered by the a-la-carte versus buffet-style dining situations. I think that one of the interesting phenomena at play with the Trayless Initiative is that we are introducing a very jarring and new aspect to familiar dining situations, which FORCE us to modify our behavior. I think the fact that we resort to this tactic at all is a testament to the strength of our social conditioning coming into the dining hall (not to mention, the conditioning we receive from home).

]]> By: Dan Livingston (CHOW) http://www.wastedfood.com/2009/02/19/trays-a-la-carte/comment-page-1/#comment-86716 Dan Livingston (CHOW) Fri, 20 Feb 2009 13:05:27 +0000 http://www.wastedfood.com/2009/02/19/trays-a-la-carte/#comment-86716 Jon, Thanks for offering this forum to get some answers to my question. I recently spoke with Bruce Alperin, Senior Director of Marketing at Aramark (also the contact person and author of this wonderful guide to going trayless: http://www.aramarkhighered.com/pdfs/articles/ARAMARK%20Trayless%20Dining%20July%202008%20FINAL.PDF ), and he didn't seem to be concerned about distinguishing one dining situation from another. He suggested that going trayless in any of these large-scale higher education cafeteria settings will cut back on food waste, water waste and electricity usage. Peace and Love, Dan Jon,
Thanks for offering this forum to get some answers to my question. I recently spoke with Bruce Alperin, Senior Director of Marketing at Aramark (also the contact person and author of this wonderful guide to going trayless: http://www.aramarkhighered.com/pdfs/articles/ARAMARK%20Trayless%20Dining%20July%202008%20FINAL.PDF ), and he didn’t seem to be concerned about distinguishing one dining situation from another. He suggested that going trayless in any of these large-scale higher education cafeteria settings will cut back on food waste, water waste and electricity usage.
Peace and Love,
Dan

]]> By: Katherine http://www.wastedfood.com/2009/02/19/trays-a-la-carte/comment-page-1/#comment-86640 Katherine Thu, 19 Feb 2009 21:40:27 +0000 http://www.wastedfood.com/2009/02/19/trays-a-la-carte/#comment-86640 I think it would lead to more customer frustration than decrease in waste. Plus, the a-la-carte places want people to buy as much as possible and would therefore not be eager to adopt traylessness as opposed to all-you-can-eat places where they make more money if you less. I think it would lead to more customer frustration than decrease in waste. Plus, the a-la-carte places want people to buy as much as possible and would therefore not be eager to adopt traylessness as opposed to all-you-can-eat places where they make more money if you less.

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