This semester, Campus Dining launched two new text-based initiatives: Text and Tell and Get Well Meals. Text and Tell is a gateway for students to provide instant feedback to the Campus Dining staff via text messages and Get Well Meals allow students to order meals to pick up from Munchie Marts at Commons, Kissam and Branscomb.
“With Get Well Meals, the program was designed to help care for those too sick to venture out, and to provide short-term options that were easy on the stomach,” Director of Campus Dining Business Services Operations Sean Carroll said in an email to The Hustler.
Get Well Meals can be ordered by texting “Vandysick” to 55744 or by filling out an online form The breakfast option includes Quaker original oatmeal, a sports beverage, a tea bag and a banana while the lunch/dinner option includes Campbell’s chicken noodle soup, saltine crackers, a fresh banana and a sports Beverage.
A vegan lunch/dinner option is also available and substitutes the Campbell’s chicken noodle soup with a vegan ramen chicken flavor soup. Menus were designed in consultation with Campus Dining’s Registered Dietitian Emily Suttle, Carroll said.
Get Well Meals are available from 7am to 9 p.m. every day, with an estimated turnaround time of two hours. However, Carroll said that depending on staffing and time of day, the turnaround may be significantly less. The meals can be picked up in person or by a friend and students will receive a text when their meal is ready for pickup.
For Text and Tell, students should include the location code of the dining hall, which are posted on signage, for example VUrand or VUcommons. Based on the location code, a specific response group within Campus Dining is notified, and managers can then address the problem and reply to the student if follow-up is required.
According to Carroll, Campus Dining receives an average of three to five texts per day. Carroll also said that Campus Dining has received positive feedback from students, parents and Student Health Services for these initiatives.
“Since we launched last month, we ‘ve received feedback the has run the gamut from negative (“Pub [music] was way too loud”) to specific and informative (“You’re out of honey mustard”) to complimentary (“EBI pho is always great – so glad to have the kimchi as well!”)” Carroll said.
