Opening up to more options

Sodexo to offer the PLUS+ dining plan in which meal swipes can be used at retailers

Coffee lovers rejoice. Next semester Sodexo will be offering a new meal plan option that will include swipes to your favorite places around campus including Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts.

The Freedom Dining PLUS+ plan is an upgraded meal plan being introduced for the fall 2016 semester. The new plan will turn the 10 bonus swipes that students receive each week into PLUS+ swipes that can be used at the many national brand locations on campus including Pizza Hut, Auntie Anne’s, Chick-fil-A and more.

Ryan Wheeler, the unit marketing specialist for Sodexo, was part of the team who helped create the new meal plan.

“The PLUS+ swipes can be used at all locations for a variety of delicious options,” Wheeler said. “Each location will have specific menu items that guests can choose from to use a PLUS+ swipe.”

The Freedom Dining PLUS+ plan also comes with the same features as the current meal plans including unlimited access to the Reber-Thomas Dining Hall and $200 in Flames Cash. With the new meal plan, some students might actually save money as the upgraded plan will only cost $100 more than the standard Freedom Dining Plan. For example, if a student were to use their 10 PLUS+ meal swipes for coffee at Starbucks each week, their plan would pay for itself in just over three weeks.

For commuter students and faculty members who are not interested in the Freedom Dining Plan, the upgrade is also available with the purchase of a 30, 60 or 90 PLUS+ meal plan. These swipes are available to be used anywhere and at any time on campus throughout the semester.

Wheeler said the new swipe option was created by Sodexo as part of a continual effort to improve the campus dining experience for students and staff.

“Liberty Dining by Sodexo is constantly on the cutting edge of innovative dining, from menu choices to meal plan structures, kiosk ordering, the food truck — the list goes on,” Wheeler said. “With these new plans, we wanted students not to feel limited in their options.”

Shayna Fleenor is just one of the Liberty University students who frequents Dunkin’ Donuts and Starbucks each week.

“I go to Dunkin’ about six times a week,” Fleenor said. “We are a few weeks into the semester, and I only have $70 in Flames Cash left.”

After being told about the new Freedom Dining PLUS+ plan, Fleenor was sold on the idea and was already contemplating how she would use her PLUS+ meal swipes.

The PLUS+ meal swipes will be the only meal swipe accepted at each of the five new dining locations set to open next semester as part of the new student center currently under construction.

These new options will include Argo Tea, UFood Grill, WoodFire Pizza Company, Garbanzo — featuring Mediterranean style food — and Star Ginger, consisting of an Asian grill and noodle bar.

When students complete Financial Check-In for the upcoming fall semester, they will have the option to upgrade to the Freedom Dining PLUS+ plan through their ASIST account. Until then students will just have to continue rationing their Flames Cash and wait for the day when a cup of coffee from Starbucks is just a meal swipe away.

Lapp is a news reporter.