New and returning students adjust to Chartwells’ menu in the first weeks of the semester.
Photo courtesy of Kendall Bulkiewicz
By Julia Birdsall
McDonald’s has a new competitor for broken ice cream machines, and it’s Chartwells Higher Education at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg.
Chartwells is a part of Compass Group USA, the largest food provider group in the United States.
The company took over USF’s dining locations this summer after USF and Aramark ended their 22-year partnership. The fall semester’s start, however, has brought an increase in students and scrutiny.
In Spring 2024, Chartwells told The Crow’s Nest that they’re dedicated to working with students’ dietary needs and account for food allergies to keep the dining environment safe and positive.
“Clearly labeled menus, dedicated allergen-free prep areas and on-site dietitians are just some of the ways we help students and guests navigate their choices safely and confidently,” the company claimed.
But have they lived up to this promise?
No, they haven’t, said junior mathematics major Roxy King.
Stations closing at strange hours, diminished food quality, and a broken ice cream machine are all reasons that King prefers Aramark, USF’s previous dining provider, to Chartwells.
Kayla James, a junior digital communications and multimedia journalism major also commented on what she called the “slow period” in The Nest.
During this time, most of the food stations are closed. Only the grill and the pizza stations serve food to students.
“It doesn’t make any sense for like 3 to 5, not having options – especially for people with allergies,” said King.
Both King and James stated that they ate at The Nest more often last semester, with Aramark, than they do now with Chartwells.
“This semester I feel like what they put out in the meals is not consistent,” James said. “Last semester I was eating rice and mashed potatoes and broccoli. This semester…so far, I haven’t eaten any vegetables.”
In a social media survey conducted by The Crow’s Nest, other students agreed.
While there is “more variety,” one student wrote, “some inconsistency in quality” detracts from the options.
“[The Nest has] gotten worse. [It] sucks since the St. Pete campus already doesn’t have many options,” another student said.
Freshmen Keesha’Lynn Jeanville, a psychology major, and Beyonca Akers, a marketing major, have never experienced Aramark’s dining services and have a fresh perspective on Chartwells.
Akers finds that The Nest has better dining options than other college campuses she has visited or seen online, and both girls have found options that they enjoy, but Jeanville noted that the food is not always up to par.
“So far [the food has] been okay,” said Jeanville. “There [are] some times where the food doesn’t hit… standards. It doesn’t taste that good, but… you find what you like and you stick with it.”
They have no other choice than to “stick with it” because campus residents are required to have a meal plan.
“Wish we could cancel [our] meal plan like Tampa can,” a student told The Crow’s Nest in the social media survey.
James stated that it is still early in the semester and there is time for improvement.
“I mostly just want them to open up the other options in the middle of the day,” King said.
Doing this would be the first step towards Chartwells fulfilling its goal of creating “a welcoming dining experience where every student feels included and cared for.”
