Face the facts: Sodexo doesn't deliver
Jerry Fagerberg
Issue date: 9/15/09 Section: Opinion
During finals week last semester, those of us lucky enough to scrape up a meal between cramming for finals and packing suitcases were treated to the welcomed surprise of $2 burritos from Salsa Rico. I ate those suckers two at a time, wood-chipper style. Every time I heard the familiar ting of "picosowcreeeam," my lips quivered in excitement. Had I not trusted Salsa Rico's unerring ability to satisfy, I would have assumed it was a "going out of business" sale.
However, as our humble little college blossomed into a university over the summer, Salsa Rico unapologetically closed its doors. For those of you new to campus, allow me to explain just what Salsa Rico was: Imagine chickens and cows roaming a placid farm somewhere, getting fat off milk and honey and massaged daily by gentle farmers before being carefully cut, grilled and doused in light spice. Now take that delicious meat and pair it with Enya-soft rice and beans fresh from God's backyard garden wrapped up in the warm embrace of a tortilla shell - it was that good.
Yes, we lost Salsa Rico, but Loyola Dining was due for a big change. Primo's meant well -- it really did -- but the same tired combinations had become stale. Boulder was an underwhelming mosaic of similar options, and the advent of Boar's Head had rendered Stacks and Rapz blasé. Some saw the end of Sodexo's contract last year as an opportunity to bring in a new company that could fulfill Loyola University's dining needs. Those hopes were swiftly kicked in the pants when the administration announced it had renewed Sodexo's contract through the next 10 years.
See, Sodexo is like an old girlfriend. We took her back because she promised to change, and, for some reason, we believed her. Maybe it was because we had unresolved feelings for her, or because we just weren't ready for change yet. But we took her back. For the first two weeks it was good - we saw familiar charms and appreciated her effort to change. Two weeks later, all those old nasty habits came back and we remembered why we dumped her in the first place.
However, as our humble little college blossomed into a university over the summer, Salsa Rico unapologetically closed its doors. For those of you new to campus, allow me to explain just what Salsa Rico was: Imagine chickens and cows roaming a placid farm somewhere, getting fat off milk and honey and massaged daily by gentle farmers before being carefully cut, grilled and doused in light spice. Now take that delicious meat and pair it with Enya-soft rice and beans fresh from God's backyard garden wrapped up in the warm embrace of a tortilla shell - it was that good.
Yes, we lost Salsa Rico, but Loyola Dining was due for a big change. Primo's meant well -- it really did -- but the same tired combinations had become stale. Boulder was an underwhelming mosaic of similar options, and the advent of Boar's Head had rendered Stacks and Rapz blasé. Some saw the end of Sodexo's contract last year as an opportunity to bring in a new company that could fulfill Loyola University's dining needs. Those hopes were swiftly kicked in the pants when the administration announced it had renewed Sodexo's contract through the next 10 years.
See, Sodexo is like an old girlfriend. We took her back because she promised to change, and, for some reason, we believed her. Maybe it was because we had unresolved feelings for her, or because we just weren't ready for change yet. But we took her back. For the first two weeks it was good - we saw familiar charms and appreciated her effort to change. Two weeks later, all those old nasty habits came back and we remembered why we dumped her in the first place.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Jerry's biggest fan
posted 9/17/09 @ 8:01 PM EST
Jerry I loved this and agreed wholeheartedly. Very very well written
Dr.Zhivago
posted 9/28/09 @ 10:45 PM EST
This article is another example of the incompetence at the top of the "university." Or, it just points out how feckless the administration is in dealing with Sodexho. (Continued…)
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