INC NEWS - Duke First-Year Students to Get $50 to Spend atNinth Street R

Wed Jul 5 17:51:38 EDT 2006

Reyn,

Don't get me wrong, I like George's restaurants, but do you seriously want to stand by your statement that the menu prices are "very reasonable" for college freshman?  Remember that we are just talking about first-year students.

Keep in mind that I'm the one supporting free markets here.  As it stands, Duke openly admits that their dining services would not be economically viable without requiring undergraduates to patronize them.  I think that the undergraduate students should have total freedom to decide where to spend their food dollars, or at least any discretionary portion of it.  

If college freshman decide to eat at George's restaurants all the time - then more power to them.  However, this $50 thing looks more like a freebie fancy meal for freshman, rather than a legitimate dining choice initiative.

Chris Sevick
913 Carolina Ave

=====================
From: Reyn Bowman <Reyn at Durham-cvb.com>
Date: Wed Jul 05 15:02:04 CDT 2006
To: csevick at alumni.unc.edu, DukeDurhamTownGown at yahoogroups.com, 
	inc-list at DurhamINC.org
Subject: RE: INC NEWS - Duke First-Year Students to Get $50 to Spend atNinth	Street Rest

Maybe I can provide some perspective.  Several of George's restaurants have very reasonable menu prices and are very popular with students...both Duke students and UNC students who work in Durham...This program may not be exactly what people expected but its inventive.  Lets give the pilot program a chance and if it succeeds they may expand it.   

Reyn Bowman

-----Original Message-----
From: inc-list-bounces at rtpnet.org [mailto:inc-list-bounces at rtpnet.org] On Behalf Of Chris Sevick
Sent: Wednesday, July 05, 2006 3:43 PM
To: DukeDurhamTownGown at yahoogroups.com; inc-list at DurhamINC.org
Subject: Re: INC NEWS - Duke First-Year Students to Get $50 to Spend atNinth Street Rest

This program strikes me as being quite odd.  I'm not sure why Duke invites George's restaurants to be part of this program, and then actually promotes this releationship in their news release by quoting him.  

I guess I just don't come from the same socio-economic background as the average Duke student, because I didn't do a whole lot of fine dining as an eighteen year-old college freshman.

Dining at fancy restaurants must now be a part of the undergraduate experience Duke is trying to promote . . . 

Chris Sevick
913 Carolina Ave

=====================
From: Susan Kauffman <susan.kauffman at duke.edu>
Date: Wed Jul 05 13:56:49 CDT 2006
To: DukeDurhamTownGown at yahoogroups.com, inc-list at DurhamINC.org
Subject: INC NEWS - Duke First-Year Students to Get $50 to Spend at Ninth	Street Restaurants

DUKE FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS TO GET $50 TO SPEND AT NINTH STREET RESTAURANTS

DURHAM, N.C. -- Duke University is giving each first-year student $50 this fall to spend at certain restaurants on or near Ninth Street.

The pilot program, called "Duke Dining/Durham Dollars," is designed to introduce the 1,600-plus members of the freshmen class to Durham and to give a boost to businesses near East Campus, said Kemel Dawkins, vice president for campus services. Students will receive an electronic card to be used for in-store food purchases at participating restaurants on or near Ninth Street, south of Markham Avenue.

"This pilot is being introduced as part of our new dining program at Duke,"
said Dawkins, whose Office of Campus Services oversees Duke's dining operations. "Duke is also committed to the success of the Ninth Street District. In addition to offering students some flexibility, this program will encourage them to explore Ninth Street and to support businesses near campus."

Elliott Wolf, president of Duke Student Government, said the program should benefit both students and owners of restaurants near campus.

"Durham has a lot to offer Duke students," Wolf said. "We are excited that this program is in place to convey that to first-year students and help local businesses at the same time."

Nineteen restaurants are being invited to participate. If they agree, they will be provided decals that can be displayed in their front window or door to let students know that the Duke Dining/Durham Dollars card is accepted there.

"I'm very excited about the idea," said Giorgios Bakatsias, the owner of three restaurants eligible for the program: George's Garage, Vin Rouge and Grasshopper. "The main reason I'm in Durham is because of Duke University.
The students are a great market for us. This just makes it more accessible and is a win-win for both the community and the students."

Dawkins explained that the scope of the pilot was limited this year to restaurants closest to campus to allow administrators, students and merchants to evaluate the program after the 2006-07 academic year. Ninth Street businesses should benefit from the increased exposure, he said.

Also as part of Duke's new dining program, the university announced in June that it had signed an agreement with Compass Group, which manages a portfolio of food brands that includes Bon Appétit and Chartwells, to provide food services at six locations on campus.

###
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