Returning students are seeing a lot of changes at USM this year. Many of those changes have occurred in the snack bars located on the Portland and Gorham campuses.
The menus in both locations are more attractive and easier to read. Some students, though impressed with the hip new look, are wondering what happened to some of the menu options from last year.
Anthony Pergola, a junior communication major, asks: “Where’s the chickenwich combo?”
Pergola’s question has sounded throughout the Gorham snack bar scene where many students once ordered the chickenwich combo for it’s good taste and reasonable price.
In years past, the Gorham snack bar offered chicken and burger combos that consisted of two patties served with a small fry and medium fountain soda for around $4. This year’s combos consist of one larger patty with a small fry and a small fountain soda priced at almost $6.
The Portland snack bar offers the same combos. For the first time the Portland and Gorham snack bars consist of the same menu.
ARAMARK, the fortune 500 company that runs all of USM’s food and custodial services, is aware of the complaints surrounding the missing chickenwich and burger combos.
“I hear it a lot from a lot of students,” said Patrick Anderson, location manager for Gorham.
“I paid $11 for something I could have had for $6 last year,” said Matt Franzoni, a junior industrial technology major.
Franzoni, like many other students, prefers to eat at the snack bar but was much happier last year. “Last year was completely better. Cheaper, better combos.”
Anderson was unclear as to the reasons for the missing chickenwich combo.
He said that ARAMARK has noticed trends in their facilities across the country showing that more students are eating in their snack bars instead of the cafeteria.
Seeing more students spend less money in the cafeteria has made ARAMARK concentrate on the snack bars. The company has changed parts of the menu in an attempt to offer better and sometimes more expensive food where the majority of students are eating.
“Some stuff is more upscale,” said Anderson, “A lot of products are better products.”
Unfortunately for some students, better products have resulted in higher prices and no chickenwich combo.
However, some sources say the chickenwich combo may come back. Due to popular demand, Anderson said it might show up soon in the form of a daily special.