BINGHAMTON, N.Y. -- One of the latest foodservice operations at Binghamton University in New York is actually a convenience store. Well, it's actually a '50s-style diner. But it's also similar to a high-tech QSR, with touch-screen kiosks and a mobile app.
"That's what our students are looking for: bundling of concepts in one location, where they can get not only a meal but also an experience," Peter Napolitano, director of auxiliary services for Binghamton University, told Fare Digest.
[image-nocss]This year, Binghamton University's Woods Diner was honored in the annual Best of Business c-store competition from the National Association of College & University Food Services (NACUFS). The diner theme--carried out with classic checkerboard tile floors and a replica '55 Chevy Bel Air jutting out of the wall--evolved from students' demands for a late-night dining option (the store is open until 1 a.m.). Requests for burgers, hand-cut fries and made-to-order milkshakes further fleshed out the theme.
But the retro aesthetics are offset by touch-screen kiosks where students can order and pay for their food. They shop the traditional c-store aisles for groceries, beverages and snacks while their food is prepped to order.
Now, the school is working on an iPhone app, "So students can order across campus, walk over and their food is ready," says Napolitano.
Napolitano says the Woods Diner will serve as a template for other operations. Another facility opening in the fall will also feature a c-store/grill concept that will serve up breakfast sandwiches in the morning and burgers at night.
The school is quite observant to its students' needs, and while it's responding to their wishes for more hybrid foodservice/retail formats, Napolitano says it could be even quicker and more nimble.
"You can go through an airport on any given day and see a multitude of kiosks selling different things. You can go the next week, and those things will be swapped out," he explains.
"I believe that colleges and universities have to be much more nimble. We have to be thinking about swapping out brands on a semester basis. We have to be quick enough to know what is working for us from September to December is old school and we need to be thinking of a new concept for January to May. Maybe it's a yearly basis, but our operations need to be plug-and-play."
The Woods Diner will be honored at the 2011 NACUFS national conference, July 13-16 in Dallas.
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