The Durham College cafeteria, also known as Marketplace Food Court, is more than a place for students and faculty to get food. Students join together to get group projects done and their individual homework completed in the cafe. It might not be the quietest place in the school, but it sure spreads the exciting college feel.
Aramark is a food service that first started in 1932. After 80 years of expanding their company, they’ve made their way to Durham College. The cafeteria can hold roughly 200 students and offers Pizza Pizza, Smoke’s Poutinerie, Express, Extreme Pita and more. Several dietary issues are considered at Durham College whether you’re vegetarian, vegan or have any allergies there is a meal option for you.
Shelley Horeczy is a retail manager for Aramark. She previously worked at some restaurants at the UOIT campus. Horeczy says the most popular restaurant the cafeteria has right now is the Smokes Poutinerie that opened up this year. She says the cafe environment is friendly but “it’s a busy area,” if students are looking to study there.
The cafeteria is often busy and filled with students. Keziah Campbell is a student studying nursing prep in the General Arts and Science program. She says she often frequents the cafeteria. “It’s not a good place to study,” Campbell says, but admits she gets her homework done there while she eats. Her favourite meal to order at the café is pizza from Pizza Pizza.
“It’s what the students want,” Horeczy says. Aramark takes student surveys to find out what restaurants they want in the cafeteria. “We try and figure out the most popular restaurants they would like and try to put it in,” she says.
Meal plan options are available to students with access of their campus ID cards. The way the card works is students go to the Aramark office located in the cafeteria. They can bring money to put onto their cards like a prepaid credit card, allowing them access to skip the lines at other food service locations on campus.
Student input is needed in the surveys to help improve food options at the school says Horeczy. Without student feedback, Aramark won’t be able to fit the needs of students.
