Due to a contract dispute, Washington University students will see a replacement for the Taco Bell in Mallinckrodt Center’s Food Court sooner than expected-possibly as soon as this fall.

The results of a recent survey conducted by the Student Union Food Committee found general dissatisfaction with Taco Bell among students. Acting in accord with that finding, Bon App‚tit, the dining services company used by the University, had sought to replace Taco Bell by the fall of 2007. Rather than sign Taco Bell to a full five-year contract extension, Bon App‚tit had planned to offer a one-year contract, with plans to seek a replacement during that time.

Negotiations over the terms of that one-year contract fell through, and Bon App‚tit has announced that it will not renew Taco Bell’s contract for any length of time.

“Taco Bell has refused to sign a one-year lease and insists on another five-year lease with costly renovations to their space in the Food Court. Dining Services and Bon App‚tit are committed to their promise not to sign another five-year lease with Taco Bell,” said Director of Dining Services Marilyn Pollack.

Taco Bell’s current contract expires this November, explained Food Committee Chair sophomore Jeff Zove. Bon App‚tit is left with two options: either buy out the end of Taco Bell’s contract and make the replacement in August, or make the replacement in January and let the location go unoccupied during December. In either case, a replacement franchise will have to be found sooner than expected.

“One dilemma that the Food Committee is dealing with is balancing the need to get a franchise in there as soon as possible with the need to take student input into account,” said Zove.

The Food Committee had intended to conduct a student survey following the selection of Taco Bell’s replacement in order to give students the opportunity to approve the choice. Zove explained that one drawback to replacing Taco Bell as soon as this fall would be that students would provide less input into the selection. Dining Services has indicated it will conduct a survey to assess student opinion if time allows.

“If viable options are identified before the summer, a survey will be sent to all undergraduate students to choose a new franchise. In the event that this unexpected time constraint precludes us from conducting another survey, Dining Services and Bon App‚tit will make every effort to choose a franchise that represents the majority view expressed by students in the previous survey,” said Pollack.

One section of the recent Taco Bell survey asked students to give their preferences for a type of replacement. Chinese food was the most popular response.

Popularity: 1% [?]

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