Self-op liberal arts college sees huge profits

1800 Students

|

Los Angeles, CA

Challenge

Students wanted a safe place on campus to gather and dine after hours, but the dining staff could not feasibly hire a late-night staff.

Solution

The Vice President of Hospitality partnered with FoodSpot to launch a smart fridge in the Tiger Cooler, a central dining location where the food counter closed at 10 pm, but the dining area is open until 2 am. The foodservice team stocked it with microwaveable meals and entrees throughout the day, and the fridges were set up to receive CBORD campus meal plan payments.

Result

The fridge paid for itself in 60 days, selling $15,000 in revenue in the first month. The dining team learned that, if they stock the fridge with gourmet snacks, entrees, and desserts that cannot be found elsewhere on campus, it becomes a fresh food destination that students empty out every night. The campus bought two more fridges for the athletics building and is looking into buying more for the broader campus community.