As of March 19 at 5:00 p.m. the Micro Market closed for the remainder of the semester.
This dining update was announced in an email sent to students on March 18.
General Manager of Dining Services at Fairfield University, Duane Gornicki, said the Micro Market closed due to a lack of participation by students.
“We were literally throwing away food because no one was participating,” Gornicki said. “We averaged only 25 students per day there this semester as opposed to well over 300 students per day last semester.”
This drop in student participation with the Micro Market might be attributed to the expansion of food options offered for students by the Daniel and Grace Tully Dining Commons, according to Matthew Dinnan, the assistant vice president of auxiliary services at Fairfield.
“As the Tully services expanded, we witnessed a decrease in the use of the Micro Market services,” Dinnan said. “In consultation with the Sodexo team, we were able to transition the Micro Market platform needs to the [Stag] Snack Bar, which will then provide the support staff needed to expand the planned offerings in the Tully.”
The Spring 2021 semester saw the transition back to all students eating in the Tully.
According to Dinnan, this transition plan began in February with the Sodexo team. A main part of the transition plan was the re-introduction of sit-in dining. Other parts of the plan include the opening to stations such as the omelet, salad-to-order, sandwich-to-order, pizza and Tex-Mex stations.
The Plant Power station and bakery underwent expansion of options during the transition process.
“One of the goals always in play was the ability to adjust and pivot to a more user and service-friendly platform as restrictions permitted,” Dinnan said.
During the Fall 2020 semester, students ate in different dining locations, decided based on the residence hall they lived in.
Dining options in the fall included Barone Campus Center Oak and Dogwood Rooms, the Conference Center, food trucks, The Levee, the Stag Snack Bar, Dunkin’ Donuts and the Micro Market.
Dinnan said the multiple dining locations was a way to “address the limited safe-distance guidelines in play for both students and service workers.”
For the remainder of the semester, students will continue to be able to use their meal swipes or Stag Bucks at the food trucks, The Levee, Dunkin’ Donuts and the Stag Snack Bar.
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