Aramark Contract Ruinous to Local Businesses and Interests
Dining options for Hopkins students are just about as great as India's gold medal chances in the 2010 Winter Olympics. Well, maybe India's is an exaggeration, but definitely France's. For years, Hopkins has stifled and suppressed the local food industry by way of its de-facto culinary monopoly. In the face of such a monopoly, students are lucky to have the holy trinity of dining - Uni Mini, Chipotle and Subway.
Hopkins contracts Aramark to provide food for students. All freshmen as well as all sophomores and upperclassmen who live in residence halls other than the Bradford or Homewood apartments are required to purchase pricy Aramark meal plans. In effect, Hopkins has coerced its
students. Hopkins mandate on dining parallels the individual mandate on health care being discussed by Congress - except worse because there is no alternative of simply paying a fine and incurring the cost of dining on one's own.
Undergraduates are the primary consumers in the greater Homewood area. Since nearly half of this population is forced to buy Aramark meals in advance, demand for local eateries is severely suppressed. That is to say that few hungry undergraduates are willing to venture beyond an Aramark cafeteria.
A few months ago, an entrepreneurial Baltimorean who goes by the name Mark tried to supply students with an alternative lunchtime meal by opening a hot dog stand at the corner of N Charles St. and E 33rd St. However, lunchtime is Aramark's prime feeding time as Levering, Fresh Food Café and Charles Street Market are all open.
Only a few students ate Mark's hot dogs and within a few weeks Mark was forced to look elsewhere for employment. Mark's story provides a micro-level insight into the way in which the local food economy is thwarted by Hopkins' draconian policies. This is ironic considering the fact that Hopkins is the largest employer in Baltimore and Aramark is one of the biggest employers in the U.S.
Hopkins and Aramark not only engage in economic suppression, but they outright lie about it. Unabashedly, Hopkins's dining website reads, "Did you know about our commitment to the local community? . . . Did you know that we only buy bread from local bakeries?" Signs at Pura Vida Café boast, "We provide you with the freshest products possible and local businesses with financial support."
Hopkins contracts Aramark to provide food for students. All freshmen as well as all sophomores and upperclassmen who live in residence halls other than the Bradford or Homewood apartments are required to purchase pricy Aramark meal plans. In effect, Hopkins has coerced its
students. Hopkins mandate on dining parallels the individual mandate on health care being discussed by Congress - except worse because there is no alternative of simply paying a fine and incurring the cost of dining on one's own.
Undergraduates are the primary consumers in the greater Homewood area. Since nearly half of this population is forced to buy Aramark meals in advance, demand for local eateries is severely suppressed. That is to say that few hungry undergraduates are willing to venture beyond an Aramark cafeteria.
A few months ago, an entrepreneurial Baltimorean who goes by the name Mark tried to supply students with an alternative lunchtime meal by opening a hot dog stand at the corner of N Charles St. and E 33rd St. However, lunchtime is Aramark's prime feeding time as Levering, Fresh Food Café and Charles Street Market are all open.
Only a few students ate Mark's hot dogs and within a few weeks Mark was forced to look elsewhere for employment. Mark's story provides a micro-level insight into the way in which the local food economy is thwarted by Hopkins' draconian policies. This is ironic considering the fact that Hopkins is the largest employer in Baltimore and Aramark is one of the biggest employers in the U.S.
Hopkins and Aramark not only engage in economic suppression, but they outright lie about it. Unabashedly, Hopkins's dining website reads, "Did you know about our commitment to the local community? . . . Did you know that we only buy bread from local bakeries?" Signs at Pura Vida Café boast, "We provide you with the freshest products possible and local businesses with financial support."
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Teja
posted 3/11/10 @ 11:47 AM EST
This is an excellent article, it definitely shows how students are being forced to pay more money for food. The discussion about how guaranteeing customers to Aramark will reduce incentives to improve quality and cut costs is a very fruitful one. (Continued…)
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