A few years ago, New Trier signed a new contract with a new food provider. Sodexo, our previous provider, was ditched for Aramark. The trust built between the students and staff and Sodexo was lost.  Aramark was cheaper. With the cheaper alternative, though, problems became apparent. Tasteless food and restrictions on fundraising were just two of many. There is no doubt that Aramark is still disliked and needs to fix its image.

Aramark already went through an iteration of rebranding during its first year at New Trier. They were greeted in their first year with complaints of low-quality food. After these complaints, a major reimaging occurred where they created a whole new menu.

The easiest way for Aramark to have a better standing with New Trier is to communicate with the students. It seems as if Aramark does not care what the student body thinks of them. In fact, reporters for the New Trier News often have difficulty interviewing employees of Aramark. Just talking to us could help their image.

But communicating will only go so far. Aramark has implemented a number of policies that failed. Recently there has been negative publicity about the non-competition clause in New Trier’s contract with Aramark. Bake sales, Chipotle, Dairy Queen, and other fundraisers were halted as a result of that clause. Aramark handled that situation poorly, presenting themselves as anti-fundraising by following the letter of the contract. Whereas they negotiated the clause, the administration agreed to it. What Aramark should have done was make an initiative to meet students demands before fundraising became an issue.

Aramark also failed at marketing themselves to the students with the UBU Lounge. The UBU Lounge was marketed as an oasis for students to revitalize themselves. It ended up being a punchline to a joke about school meals.  Aramark could have gone for a less cheesy approach for student dining.

And most recently, Aramark initiated a new policy where the employees checking out students’ purchases could no longer sit on stools when working. Up until this policy, the employees could sit as students paid for their pizza or tacos. This policy does not affect students. Kids will still be able to buy the snacks they want to. But it seems unfair to the Aramark workers.

Aramark made all these policies because they are a business. They hold a monopoly on the food service at New Trier and want to maximize profits. But Aramark has been making business decisions that have negative side effects. What they can do is make decisions that favor the students and staff more in the future, even if there is a slight change in revenue.

To New Trier students and staff, Aramark is somewhat of a villain. But Aramark is contracted to work inside the school, so they have to deal with us and we have to deal with them. Aramark currently has a poor relationship with students and staff. But that does not mean they cannot be friends in the future. All that needs to be done is a little cooperation with the student body.