By Chloe Colmenares
Staff Writer and Social Media Coordinator
Campus residents can use Grubhub delivery service dollars as a new part of their meal plan during COVID-19.
How do these dollars add up, and is it really worth it for students to have this option on to their dining plan?
Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic began, food delivery has been on the rise due to the risks that come with leaving the house. Food delivery services like UberEats, DoorDash and Grubhub make it easy for students to get the meals they enjoy in an easy and safe way. All one has to do is order a meal with their phone, pay and wait for it to roll to the door.
FDU added Grubhub dollars to every resident’s meal plans on their Fairleigh1 Card, allowing students to order food from local restaurants and not pay directly out of pocket. The FDU website also claims to enroll students in the Grubhub plus program, which eliminates delivery charges and reduces other charges.
This can make a difference in the price students pay for their food. An article published by ThePointsGuy.com found that food delivery service users can pay a premium of up to 27% in additional charges for their food. These fees can quickly eat up the amount of Grubhub dollars given to students.
Three different meal plans were offered on campus this semester. These plans include 140 meal swipes to be used at Riverside Cafe, $100 Flex money and a range from $185 to $385 in Grubhub dollars depending on the plan a student is enrolled in.
Prices of meals depend on the restaurant, but most meals range from $8-$16 not including delivery and service charges.
Adam Matter, a junior psychology major at FDU, said that having Grubhub plus, “makes a difference because it removes a lot of the fees, so that means we can get more food.”
This new food option seemed to have technical issues getting started, forcing students to foot the rest of the bill using their dollars.
“For the first two weeks, I think GH+ (Grubhubplus) wasn’t working, but now it’s working, so that’s fixed,” Matter said via Instagram direct message.
Is this meal plan sufficient for students who rely on it alone to get their meals?
“I fear that I will run out of all of those (meal blocks, Flex dollars, Grubhub dollars) by the beginning of November,” Matter said.
When asked about the options provided by Grubhub, Matter said, “The food is great, plenty of options, but I wish the portions were bigger, relative to the price!”
Prince Olatunji, a sophomore mechanical engineering student, said via Snapchat, “Campus internet connection has crashed a few times, making it difficult to get food.”
Whether getting food on or off campus, students rely on apps and internet service working to get their food.
The Grubhub partnership offered by FDU can benefit local businesses in Teaneck by making them more noticeable to students on the app.
We reached out to two of our advertisers to get a comment about how FDU’s Grubhub partnership has affected them.
Coliseum Pizza and Sushi House, both located in Teaneck, said that they have seen a few more orders from FDU since the beginning of the semester.
Grubhub dollars used by students through their meal plan allows them an easier way to get food safely off campus. Students still have their meal swipes and Flex dollars to use in Riverside, but now have another option to get their favorite outside food.
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Art by Elizabeth Scalzo
