CDS plans to expand newest dining option

Carolina Dining Services has seen success with a new meal plan option it introduced last semester: the Unlimited PLUS plan with PLUS swipes.

The PLUS swipes can be used for certain meal combos at four locations around UNC’s campus: Wendy’s in the Student Union, the Rams Head Subway and Einstein Bros. Bagels and McColl Grill in Cafe McColl.

“One main reason is that the dining halls are so crowded,” said Brandon Thomas, a spokesperson for UNC Auxiliary Services, about the new PLUS swipes.

“We thought this would be a good way to offer some options for meals that would help ease the traffic in the dining halls.”

He also said the new PLUS swipes would help provide more variety for students by allowing them to eat at restaurants outside of the dining halls.

In the fall semester, there were more than 1,200 students using the Unlimited PLUS plan, Thomas said.

“It has been very successful,” Thomas said.

“Feedback we’ve gotten has been all positive.”

The Student Dining Board, a board comprising students who have input in decisions made by CDS, approved the meal plan addition.

Thomas said the plan is to expand the PLUS swipes program during future semesters. Carolina Dining Services also plans to add PLUS swipes to other meal plans in addition to the unlimited PLUS plan.

First-year Alec Way is currently using the unlimited PLUS plan, which he also had last semester.

“The major upside is it’s a break from the dining hall. You get to eat fast food,” Way said.

“It’s different and sometimes convenient to just run into Subway or Wendy’s after class and take it back to your dorm room.”

Way said he used all 25 of his PLUS swipes last semester.

“It’s only $25 extra for the 25 swipes, so it’s not that hard to get the value for your PLUS swipes.”

First-year Kara Patrovic had the unlimited PLUS plan last semester but decided to drop it for the spring semester.

“I dropped it because it was really expensive,” Patrovic said.

“I switched down to the lowest meal plan option: the 100 plan with $200 flex.”

“I thought I would use it a lot more than I did. I think I had seven or maybe even 10 PLUS swipes left, so I feel like it wasn’t really worth it for me.”

She said the PLUS swipes options were very limited.

“Once I went to the Bottom of Lenoir Subway and ordered a sandwich, but when I went to pay for it I found out that the PLUS swipes only worked at the Rams Head Subway. I had to pay $8 out of pocket, which was kind of inconvenient.”

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