(Andrew Roberts) Whether it is textbooks…. gas…. clothes…. or food, college students across the country are on tight budgets. Here at the UI students are spending less to save more but they may be going about it in the wrong way.
(Andrew Roberts) Long lines build daily, here and here as students of the University of Iowa desperately wait to get their next bite to eat. Some students eat at the UI residence halls. Others prefer meals closer to campus at local restaurants in the Old Capitol Mall, but the convenience comes with a price. While some students argue it is quicker and cheaper, the average American meal out costs $12.75. The most common purchased UI meal plan is $14 per day and offers unlimited market meals with 75 flex meals for students to eat on the go. Former dining hall employee Jeff Zahery feels the market is a no brainer.
(Jeff Zahery) “I’d say the cost stacks up pretty well, I mean its definitely good for what you are paying for, the cost is appropriate.”
(Andrew Roberts) But is the cost really worth the loss of time during a busy day? Director of University dining Jill Irvin feels the answer lies in one major difference between eating out or eating at Iowa.
(Jill Irvin) “The ped mall is closer than we are. I think the biggest challenge if you are going to a restaurant is the variety you would have.”
(Andrew Roberts) And variety plays in favor of the UI res halls. They offer 6 different food types daily, something local restaurants just cannot compete with.
(Andrew Roberts) Reporting from Burge Marketplace… I’m Andrew Roberts for Daily Iowan TV
Andrew Roberts 