As tuition has increased, student perceptions of the quality of Pepperdine’s Dining Services has decreased.
From the quality of food to the cost of meal plans, many Pepperdine students are not satisfied with Pepperdine’s food servicer, Bon Appétit. Pepperdine students have complained about raw food, limited cafeteria hours, the lack of outside vendors and the price of meal plans.
First-year Biology major Sophia Di Novo said she is not happy with the cafeteria food.
“It doesn’t seem super high quality like I would be willing to pay more if it was I don’t know organic or like it actually filled me up,” Di Novo said.
Bon Appétit started servicing Pepperdine’s campus in 2022 after the university changed contracts from the previous provider, Sodexo, according to the Pepperdine website.
Jennifer Freedman, director of Dining Services Operations, wrote in an email that Bon Appétit strived to respond to feedback.
“Any student concerns about the quality of food are something we always want to know about and address right away,” Freedman wrote.
A Pepp Post survey of 50 students rated the quality of Bon Appétit’s food on a scale from one to five, one being awful and five being awesome. Based on the results, most students rated the food negatively to middling. Women dominated the survey.
Based on free responses, the most common dislikes of students are that the food is bland, undercooked, there are labeling errors on packaging, and lack of vegan options, dairy free options, etc.
Based on free responses, students would like the school to offer more options, more cuisines and being back outside vendors or food trucks.
Food Poisoning
Students have discussed food poisoning and raw chicken through conversations on campus and student applications like Fizz this spring.
Di Novo said she received raw chicken when eating at the Howard A. White Center.
“One time I went to the HAWC, I had chicken tenders and I opened it and it was pink on the inside,” Di Novo said.
She did not eat them. Di Novo said she has heard students suffer from sickness due to the raw chicken issue.
A photo of undercooked chicken from the cafeteria by Yulia Danilina, Integrated Marketing Communication and Economics double major.
The survey found that not quite half of students have been served raw meat.
Freedman, who would only respond to written questions via email, wrote that Bon Appétit takes care with concerns revolving food poisoning or illness.
“All reports of possible issues, including food borne illnesses are taken very seriously and possess prescribed protocols for a formal investigation,” Freedman wrote.
Freedman wrote that when students experience raw chicken they should reach out to medical professionals and Bon Appétit staff.
“Undercooked food is never acceptable and reports of possible such issues are taken very seriously,” Freedman wrote.
Photo of raw chicken leg by first-year Psychology major Nancy He.
Junior Sociology major Aidan Schmidt said he got food poisoning last year when eating at the grill station at Waves Café.
“I missed one of my finals last year because I got food poisoning from a hamburger,” Schmidt said.
Schmidt said after his experience, he decided to stay away from the grill section for a while but continued to eat at the cafeteria.
In the same survey, 60% of students said they have experienced food poisoning on campus.
Anastasia Maloney, sophomore Theatre and Screen Arts major, said she and her friends have experienced food poisoning on campus.
“We have gotten food poisoning from either the salad bar, something involving cheese, I’ve noticed is a common occurrence,” Maloney said.
Maloney said she is cautious when eating on campus due to how much she’s seen other people experience food poisoning.
“There have been quite a few issues with the dangers of eating at Bon Appétit,” Maloney said.
Maloney said she experienced food poisoning after eating loaded fries at the HAWC. She noticed that they were not as fresh as she expected.
“I couldn’t really smell if there was anything wrong with it but it definitely tasted a little off,” Maloney said.
Maloney said she ate a little bit of the fries before she started feeling nauseous.
“Later that evening, I ended up vomiting as well as the next morning and I developed a fever,” Maloney said.
Daniel Keenan, director of Restaurant and Catering Facilities at Cal State LA, said when it comes to food poisoning it is crucial to have employees prepared.
“You have to first of all gotta make sure everybody is certified,” Keenan said. “You know, food handling certifications are really important.”
Keenan said when employees are serving raw food or chicken, that is a management problem.
Pepperdine is a private university and does not share vendor contracts. Pepp Post could not find any public universities that had contracts with Bon Appétit to request an example.
However, in a dining contract between San Francisco State University and Pepperdine’s previous food servicer, Sodexo, it demonstrated the serious precautions that employees had to take to ensure that the food is handled properly.
href=”https://embed.documentcloud.org/documents/24495325-p130229-sodexo-residential-dining-services-fully-executed/annotations/2442810″>View noteIn a follow-up email, Freedman wrote Bon Appétit gives employees training.
“Including food safety, food literacy, food allergy management, diversity and inclusion, and customer service and hospitality,” Freedman wrote. “Bon Appétit is committed to providing excellent and robust training to ensure employees have the skills they need to serve the Pepperdine community well.”
Freedman said due to some reports on raw food, Bon Appétit is alert to these concerns and is having supervisors check to make sure the food is cooked correctly.
Some students do have a more positive take on the food.
Sydney Wilson, sophomore Psychology major and Student Wellness Advisory Board’s healthy minds co-president, said overall she likes Bon Appétit’s food.
“I’m a fan, I do think they have a good variety of options,” Wilson said.
In a follow-up email, Freedman said during this academic year, Bon Appétit has received feedback from students.
“Bon Appétit has received 17 feedback comments since the beginning of August 2023, which are always reviewed by Bon Appétit managers,” Freedman wrote. “When contact information is provided, a reply is provided within 24 hours from receipt.”
Cafeteria Hours
Students have also shared their conflicts with the cafeteria hours on campus.
The main cafeteria on Pepperdine’s campus has limited options from 2 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. where students are unable to get main dishes besides from the grill and salad bar.
Schmidt said the cafeteria has odd hours where students are not able to make it out of class in time to eat at the cafeteria.
“Everytime I get out of class it’s always the dead period where there is no food, so I have to wait a long time or I just have to eat very quickly between the shorter breaks I have between classes,” Schmidt said.
Based on the contract of San Francisco State University and Sodexo, the university’s resident dining hall is open later at night for students to grab a bite until 9 p.m., whereas Pepperdine’s cafeteria closes at 8 p.m.
Junior Nutrition major Gabriel Kong said the cafeteria hours have been a problem when she has classes that end at 9 p.m.
“Sometimes I don’t get to eat dinner before so, I am trying to get a bite after but it’s closed,” Kong said.
Ellie Scoggins, sophomore Psychology major and previous Dining Services Committee leader, said she has seen the cafeteria hours be a big issue for students but that it comes down to a hiring issue. She said her committee was aware of this issue but did not have a viable solution.
“They need people to stay here longer and they need to be able to keep the cafeteria, and the electricity and gas on for longer,” Scoggins said.
Outside Vendors
With Pepperdine’s previous dining partner, Sodexo, the company allowed food trucks on main campus for students to enjoy more variety. Now, with Bon Appétit, it is rare for students to have that opportunity.
Schmidt said he enjoyed the food trucks from Sodexo and would like to see Bon Appétit implement them now.
“I didn’t get it very often, it was like a once and every kind of week thing just because it was also expensive,” Schmidt said. “But it made me excited when I knew I could have a meal I would enjoy.”
Junior Business major Ananya Jain said Sodexo’s inclusion of food trucks was something that brought her hope for the food offerings on campus.
“I miss those trucks so much,” Jain said. “They at least gave some hope that food can be better than what we eat now.’’
Wilson said SWAB and the Board usually have food trucks on campus that are free for students.
“When like SWAB does that or like the Board does food trucks like it’s usually just to get good different options for free,” Wilson said.
Freedman wrote that Sodexo utilized food trucks due to a variety of reasons, like labor shortages and maintenance at frequent dining locations.
Freedman wrote Bon Appétit has been committed to providing students with many options on campus with sushi, acai bowls and collaborations with the Student Government Association.
Food trucks returned for a day on March 28 from 11a.m. to 2 p.m. on Pepperdine’s Lower Adamson Plaza, according to an SGA email. There were food trucks from “Savage Tacos” and Rice Balls of Fire.” The meals cost a flat rate of $16 and students had the chance to use their meal plans, credit/debit cards or cash.
Food trucks made a secondary appearance on main campus April 18 from 11a.m. to 2 p.m., according to an SGA Instagram post. There was a “Tropic Truck” and a “Heritage Kitchen” truck.
Photo from SGA’s Instagram page on March 28 on main campus outside of Waves cafe. Students got in line to take advantage of the opportunity.
Scoggins said the food trucks may make an appearance next year.
“I think it’s going to be a monthly situation when it comes to next year but they will be making a return,” Scoggins said.
Cal State L.A. provides students with many outside food dining options from Panda Express, Pollo Loco, Carl’s Jr. and more.
Keenan said Cal State LA has Auxiliary Services that oversee the corporate operations on campus. The university operates its food services in house and thus does not have a singular contract with a food provider.
“Cal State LA University Auxiliary Services, Inc. is a strategic partner, committed to delivering essential services and resources that enrich the quality of life for University students,” according to Cal State LA.
Keenan also said they have many spots on campus for students to eat, like a restaurant and an espresso bar that is open late.
The survey asked students to rate the variety of food on campus from one to five. The students provided low scores for the variety of food offered.
Meal Plans
The cost of meal plans at Pepperdine is another conflict students are struggling with.
Coming to Pepperdine, Di Novo said she was unaware of how expensive the food was.
“Sometimes the portions are so small and it’s like $10 and I’m like OK, this is kind of ridiculous,” Di Novo said.
Kong said he does not eat at the cafeteria due to having a kitchen in his dorm and the food being pricey.
“It’s a lot better than when we were freshmen, at least in terms of quality but it’s still really expensive, so I don’t really like eating here that much,” Kong said.
Besides the pricing of food, Pepperdine’s meal plans are high for some students based on their semester rates. When living in certain dorm houses, Pepperdine requires students to pay for specific meal plans that give them so many meals a week.
“I didn’t know about the meal-point system, which I think is kind of weird because a lot of schools, you could have different plans like you can get two swipes a day, three swipes a day but here it’s kind of expensive compared to other places,” Di Novo said.
| Pepperdine Meal Plan | Pepperdine | Cal State LA | San Francisco State |
| Meal Plan D (7-10 per week) | $1,415 | $3,104 | $1,100 |
| Meal Plan E (12-14 meals per week) | $2,270 | $4,008 | $2,470 |
| Meal Plan F (16-21 meals per week) | $3,045 | $4,872 | $2,625 |
| Meal Plan I (Approximately 21 meals per week and snacks) | $4,945 | $5,346 | No equivalent |
Comparisons are difficult because at Pepperdine, students purchase food and drink items individually, whereas at both Cal State LA and San Francisco State allows unlimited food per meal swipe and additional funds for one-off snack or drink purchases. Sources: Pepperdine, Cal State LA, San Francisco State University.
At both San Francisco State University and Cal State LA, students are able to swipe for their meal and get any food of their choice.
Wilson said she eats frequently at the cafeteria and the meal plans are expensive when it comes to the lunch portions.
“It’s tasty, I liked it,” Wilson said. “But sometimes, I am like the portions could be improved.’’
Freedman said if students have any concerns about the food and want to discuss with Bon Appétit, they could call, email or get in contact with the General Manager Sharon Luengas.
Scoggins said she encourages students to reach out to Bon Appétit.
“They are very responsive to critique or suggestion, it just happens that you have to be upfront with the people,” Scoggins said.
Viviana Diaz produced this story in in Jour 490, Advanced Storytelling, during the Spring 2024 semester under the supervision of Dr. Christina Littlefield.
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