Ember Duke | Staff Writer
Even with expanded hours at Hogan, Chick-fil-A and Cinco Cantina this semester, students are still turning to more convenient grab-and-go options. The problem, however, is those options can have their own flaws including being expired, spoiled and mispriced.
Duquesne students reported to The Duke experiencing all of those scenarios in recent weeks on campus.
Among the complaints: out of date and overpriced soda in the College Hall vending machines and spoiled oatmeal at Business Leader Bistro.
“I didn’t think that prepackaged stuff was something I had to worry about,” Haley Scholer marketing major said.
Scholer and pharmacy student and resident assistant, Aaron Duke, both purchased $3.99 expired oatmeal from the Business Leader Bistro recently.
Scholer took one bite and knew immediately – it was expired.
“I was just kind of horrified that I had just eaten something so sour,” she said.
“It tasted like vinegar, pretty much comparable to a kombucha or something,” Duke said.
Duke and Scholer said that many students rely on vending machines or grab-and-go food because of class schedules and are frustrated by what is offered.
“I feel like usually I’m pretty disappointed, either [there aren’t any] grab and go sandwiches, or they are not fresh or everything is just super expensive. So, I’m hungry and I want something but everything is $4 or $5 for something that isn’t even going to fill me up, but [if] it’s my only option and I’m hungry then I have to,” Scholer said.
Digital Media Arts major Kimberly Clark normally stops in the Student Union for a drink in her ten minute break between classes.
She decided to use the vending machine on the first floor of College Hall, believing it would save her time.
The soda has a listed price of $2.75 and the machine notified her of a $.10 credit card fee. Her total was $4.
The Pepsi was flat and the machine overcharged her.
“If I paid four dollars for a Pepsi, it better be crispy,” Clark said. “I was pretty mad, I felt cheated when they took my four dollars.”
The first-floor College Hall vending machine took $5 from senior music major Carson Graef in October and never dispensed his drink.
“A maintenance looking guy was trying to get a drink too and it took his five bucks so I tried and it took mine too,” Graef said.
machine on the first floor of College Hall still contained beverages that were 1-2 months out of date, some as old as Dec. 18, 2023.
University spokesperson Rosemary Ravasio, said in an email that prior to The Duke’s request for comment “the University was unaware of any issue regarding food/goods from the campus vending machines and markets.”
Assistant Vice President of Auxiliary Services at Duquesne, Scott Richards said in an email that all stocking and pricing for vending machines is handled by Laurel FoodSystems, the company that owns on campus vending machines.
“The hours are kind of inconvenient at times,” Duke said. “There’s been times in Hogan where things have been packed up early or things aren’t available when it’s not closed yet.”
Hogan is closed 9 to 11 a.m., 3 to 4 p.m. and after 8 p.m.
Other locations like the Incline, Chick-fil-A and Cinco Cantina are open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. but often have long wait lines during the middle of the day.
Digital media arts major Kimberly Clark had trouble fitting her meal plan into her busy schedule when she lived on campus.
“You’re not getting a hot meal if you have back-to-back afternoon classes, which totally sucks because I ended up eating that soggy sandwich at the market everyday,” Clark said.
For Scholer, to-go food is the only option when she doesn’t have time between work and class to go back to her Brottier apartment.
“I feel like usually I’m pretty disappointed, either [there aren’t any] grab-and-go sandwiches, or they are not fresh or everything is just super expensive,” Scholer said. “Maybe the sushi will be a day old, that it will say best by and be the day previous.”
“All markets on campus are stocked multiple times a day. Food quality checks are performed at each restock interval. Dining managers also [are] walking through all markets multiple times a day to check quality and stock levels,” said John Levi, resident district manager for Duquesne Dining Services said in an email.
Vending machines are another easy and quick pitstop for students. However, they can be more inconvenient than the user would expect.
The first-floor College Hall vending machine took $5 from senior music major Carson Graef and never dispensed his beverage.
“This was in October,” Graef said. “A maintenance-looking guy was trying to get a drink too and it took his five bucks so I tried and it took mine too.”
Graef did not notify the school of the incident because he “had to get to class.”
A number of Laurel Foodsystems vending machines have instructions to receive a refund. For cash refunds students can visit the parking and card ID center in the Union and can visit cmsvend.com for debit and credit refunds.
Clark also had problems with the vending machine. She was both overcharged and purchased an expired Pepsi. The soda has a listed price of $2.75 and the machine notified her of a $.10 credit card fee. Her total was $4.
“If I paid $4 dollars for a Pepsi, it better be crispy,” Clark said. “I was pretty mad, I felt cheated when they took my $4.”
Scott Richards, assistant vice president of auxiliary services, said in an email that all stocking and servicing for the vending machines is handled by Laurel FoodSystems, the company that owns the machines.
“A Laurel Vending technician is on campus Tuesdays and Thursdays to restock and service machines based on volume and needs,” he said.
Duquesne Dining Services asks that if students have issues with food quality and pricing at campus dining locations to email [email protected], scan the QR Code on the self-checkout kiosks or fill out a feedback form through the link on Dining’s Instagram account (@duquesnedining).