2008 Woodie Awards
Campus Cafeteria No Longer in the Red
Seda Terzyan
Issue date: 3/1/06 Section: News
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The Valley College cafeteria is under new management after suffering losses of more than $600,000 in the past three years due to high union wages for employees and lack of sales.
Deli, Depot and More signed a 10-month contract with Valley College in September and has managed to reverse losses and turn out some profits. This is mainly due to the fact that Deli Depot privately runs the cafeteria, pays rent for the space, employs its own workforce, and brings in the necessary supplies and food. It also provides catering services for almost all school events, luncheons and meetings.
"We're doing things they just did not do before," said Marshall Wexler, president owner of the Deli, Depot and More. The Deli Depot staff is working hard to actually put improvements in to make progress. One of the improvements so far is that the cafeteria Valley Sidewalk Café are now accepting credit cards.
At the moment, work is being done to upgrade the coffee services at Valley and to bring in new venders. Prices of food in the cafeteria have been lowered to meet student budgets. Six-inch sandwiches are being sold for $2.99 a piece. A variety of foods are served, including freshly made sandwiches, pizza, soups, breakfast foods and even sushi.
Wexler not only plans to improve the quality of food served at the cafeteria and Sidewalk Café, he is also enthusiastic about creating an inviting atmosphere that will attract students to do more at the food courts than just eat and leave. He wants to put up posters, decorations and even play music. Wexler is passionate about his plans, being a Valley alumnus, he feels strongly about making significant changes and helping students become aware of the cafeteria.
The former cafeteria system was run by brand-name franchises called Hot Stuff Foods and Mean Gene's Burgers, which provided food and supplies and left all other responsibilities to the college. District employees were hired and were paid up to $15 an hour, plus full benefits, according to James Watson, contract manager for the district. This system did not leave much room for profiting and caused food prices to sky- rocket. The new management is working hard to provide quality food at affordable prices.
Deli, Depot and More signed a 10-month contract with Valley College in September and has managed to reverse losses and turn out some profits. This is mainly due to the fact that Deli Depot privately runs the cafeteria, pays rent for the space, employs its own workforce, and brings in the necessary supplies and food. It also provides catering services for almost all school events, luncheons and meetings.
"We're doing things they just did not do before," said Marshall Wexler, president owner of the Deli, Depot and More. The Deli Depot staff is working hard to actually put improvements in to make progress. One of the improvements so far is that the cafeteria Valley Sidewalk Café are now accepting credit cards.
At the moment, work is being done to upgrade the coffee services at Valley and to bring in new venders. Prices of food in the cafeteria have been lowered to meet student budgets. Six-inch sandwiches are being sold for $2.99 a piece. A variety of foods are served, including freshly made sandwiches, pizza, soups, breakfast foods and even sushi.
Wexler not only plans to improve the quality of food served at the cafeteria and Sidewalk Café, he is also enthusiastic about creating an inviting atmosphere that will attract students to do more at the food courts than just eat and leave. He wants to put up posters, decorations and even play music. Wexler is passionate about his plans, being a Valley alumnus, he feels strongly about making significant changes and helping students become aware of the cafeteria.
The former cafeteria system was run by brand-name franchises called Hot Stuff Foods and Mean Gene's Burgers, which provided food and supplies and left all other responsibilities to the college. District employees were hired and were paid up to $15 an hour, plus full benefits, according to James Watson, contract manager for the district. This system did not leave much room for profiting and caused food prices to sky- rocket. The new management is working hard to provide quality food at affordable prices.
