This story was originally published in Vol. 34, Issue 1 (September 2023)
If you were planning on catching a bite today at WSU Vancouver, you might notice that there’s one option, and that’s the Canteen Micro Market. Before the Canteen Micro Market was established, WSU Vancouver operated a conventional cafeteria where chefs prepared and served hot food to students. The cafeteria ran until the COVID-19 pandemic struck, forcing operations to shut down. Since then, the school has replaced the cafeteria with a self-serve quick-mart-style checkout, provided by a third party company called Canteen Vending Services, or Canteen.
Located in the administration building, the cafeteria setup resembles a mini-mart in that it offers many snacks and a coffee machine, as well as a separate refrigerated area for cold foodstuffs such as wraps and sandwiches. Students are able to sit down, eat and talk openly in the large open spaces the cafeteria offers. Access to several microwaves provides the option to heat up cold food, and the charging station in the center of the cafeteria allows students to charge their phones. Amid these amenities and the quick and easy access the self-serve market provides, students’ opinions are divided on the cafeteria.
In a recent campus survey conducted by The VanCougar, feedback regarding the food options revealed a somewhat common point of criticism among many of the 22 participants. Judah Tanninen, a Computer Science major, was asked on the quad about how he felt about the food options and variety on campus.
“They’re bad,” said Tanninen. “None of them are food. I want real food.”
When asked if he was satisfied with the campus cafeteria overall, he indicated that he would be satisfied if the campus administration copied how Clark College operated its cafeteria before the pandemic. For context, Clark College is a local community college in downtown Vancouver that operates a student-run restaurant with a full-service retail bakery and snacks, as well as a separate cafe and coffee lounge. The Tod and Maxine McClaskey Culinary Institute at the school oversees these dining options. Undergraduate Zach Christensen, while feeling more satisfied with the cafeteria, expressed a similar notion.
“The options that are available, I actually do like them,” said Christensen. “It’s just hot food is like, where it’s at. I think it’s a must.”
Many students echoed the sentiments of undergraduate Mai Covarrubias, who stated they were satisfied with the cafeteria and regularly ate there, while indicating that the location needs more food options, specifically hot food. Joe Hernandez-Lopez, a senior undergraduate at WSU Vancouver voiced his concerns with some of the stock issues in the cafeteria.
“I would like for there to be whole milk constantly in stock,” said Hernandez-Lopez. “The whole milk is the only thing that’s bothering me, everything else I’ve found. Overall, I can find what I want so it’s mostly fine. It’s just today I went and there was no whole milk, so I was disappointed.”
21 out of 22 participants expressed that they were satisfied overall with the state of the cafeteria (95.45%). 13 students indicated eating there regularly (59.09%), seven students indicated eating there sparingly (31.8%) and only two students indicated not eating whatsoever (9.09%). In regards to satisfaction with the food presently available, seven students (31.8%) were satisfied with the food, seven said sometimes or occasionally satisfied, and eight students (36.36%) said they were outright dissatisfied with the food there. Eleven people, or half (50%) expressed dissatisfaction with the food options.
Lisa Wolfson, the primary contact of the office of Finance and Operations at WSU Vancouver clarified some details regarding the recent renewal of the Canteen Micro Market.
“A committee comprising staff and ASWSUV members explored financially feasible options to provide continued food options to the campus. After a formal RFP (request for proposal) process, [WSU Vancouver] entered into a contract with Crave Fresh Markets (CFM) in August 2021 to operate a micro-market. It was for a 3-year term, ending in July 2024,” Wolfson said in a statement.
Wolfson also noted the contract has a recent amendment to recognize that CFM has since been purchased by a different group that operates as Canteen. Additionally, she noted that the Vice Chancellor for Finance and Operations Jenny Chambers-Taube negotiated several improvements to services provided by Canteen within an amendment later added to the existing contract. These improvements included the campus covering maintenance and custodial space to ensure it is cleaned periodically throughout the day, restocking utensils and condiments daily, maintaining stock of food and beverages daily and that the variety of foods include organic, low-fat and gluten free selections. Despite this, five students interviewed in the survey had complaints of stock running out.
The survey suggests that while the cafeteria generally meets the needs of most students, a subset expresses that their options feel limited. Students with allergies and dietary restrictions expressed that they felt limited in their choices for a meal on campus, while those who are familiar with Clark College’s cafeteria naturally found themselves making comparisons. While many appreciate the convenience offered, some students are left wondering if the quality and variety of their cafe experience can be improved.
Shawyan is a junior studying computer science at WSU Vancouver.