With a bad economy just now recovering, and a downtown area coming into its own, some Taylor Place and Cronkite restaurants do not think ASU is doing all it can with the Maroon and Gold Meal Plan system to help them get back on their feet.
Ben Juang, co-owner of the recently opened Hsin Cafe said that business has gotten off to a slow start. He said he had planned on participating in the M&G system, until he and his store learned of the repercussions for his business.
“We’ve been delayed many times, after we signed the lease we think we can participate in the M&G program, but their fee is so high that we cannot participate,” he said.
Juang said the system in place would take too much of his profits and wouldn’t make his restaurant cost effective.
“They charge a $250 a week fee, then they want 20 percent off of sales of M&G dollars,” he said. “Then there’s processing for around 2 percent, so you can see that if you do your figures that it takes a big chunk.
“I’d say that if I did do it, I would be losing money because of M&G.”
The M&G system operates as a pre-paid debit card for students, allowing them to use a set amount they pay at the beginning of the year to purchase food at cafeterias and restaurants throughout the semester.
In Tempe, there are many restaurants available in-house for students. Downtown, the only place students are able to use their M&G, with the exception of Domino’s Pizza on North Central Avenue, is on site at ASU-owned establishments like the City Café, Starbucks and the Taylor Market Place.
Juang said his business isn’t the only one affected by the steep prices of the M&G plan.
“Subway, El Portal, and Sbarro’s, they all can’t do it for the same reasons,” he said.
Garrett Robinson, general manager of Sbarro’s, said that his restaurant has also felt the repercussions of ASU’s M&G plan.
“I don’t know a large amount about the operations with M&G, I just know that it’s not cost effective for us,” Robinson said.
Robinson said that he’s been doing all he can to make his restaurant a hang out place for students, but the school has done little to help him get his name out there to the students.
“No teamwork,” he said. “We’re not a team at all—we’re very separate in that matter. I’m not even allowed in certain sections of the (Walter Cronkite School) building, and my store is in here.”
Robinson said that he’s wanted to do things like poetry readings, live music and art shows at his restaurant, but ASU has done nothing to help him in his efforts.
“I wish ASU was more involved with this place in wanting to get their name in here and my name out there,” Robinson said.
When pressed for comment, Krystal Nelson on behalf of Aramark said in an e-mail she was not able to comment on any M&G-related issues concerning establishments on the Downtown campus.
“Currently, Domino’s Pizza is the only vendor that accepts M&G Dollars at the Downtown Phoenix campus,” Nelson said in the e-mail. “We cannot comment on the ongoing negotiations with other vendors.”
Journalism freshman Andres Cano said that the system currently in place is flawed and needs to be rectified for students and the campus.
“When we have a system in place like Aramark that doesn’t meet the needs of the downtown students, it means that something needs to be done about it,” Cano said.
Contact the reporter at vburnton@asu.edu
