| UMHHC to open new ‘quick-casual’ restaurants |
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Aramark Services/ |
Q: Why did we choose to replace Wendy’s? A: Wendy’s contract was set to expire after 10 years at the end of February 2007. Before engaging in a new bidding process for vendors – which is customary when a vendor’s contract expires - we had an opportunity to gauge faculty and staff interest, opinions and habits related to current retail food operations, and to evaluate whether the Wendy’s franchise was what faculty and staff wanted and if it was in line with our strategic principles. The online survey, which launched Aug. 23 and ended Aug. 29, was designed to ascertain eating habits while at work, such as how often, where and when you ate, what you thought about the current offerings, what factors influenced your choice of dining locations and what kinds of food services you’d like to see if a change was possible. More than 2,880 faculty and staff members responded to this survey. You can now download the results of this survey. Click here We learned from the survey that there was a clear desire for healthier food options, that the availability of healthy food options influenced where you chose to eat, you wanted more variety of menu items, and that you wanted value, convenience and good service – both for yourself and for our patients and families. We also took into account, before deciding on a new vendor, whether Wendy’s or any new vendor we might select met our strategic principle, Taking Care of Our Own, which states: We will take care of our own faculty, staff, patients and families, and community. This broad concept embraces having a healthy, safe and satisfied workforce, a high-quality and cost-effective model health care system, and improved access to care for patients from our faculty, referring providers and emergency services. This principle alone illustrates the importance of providing healthy dining options. Meeting this principle was also a key factor in the final decision to replace Wendy’s. As a health care institution, we feel that it is our duty to promote and empower our employees, patients and the community to make healthier lifestyle choices. By replacing Wendy’s with Einstein Bros. Bagels and Fresh n Healthy Express, we feel we are aligning ourselves more closely with that goal. Q: Wendy’s offered cheap meals. What can I expect to find that compares now that Wendy’s is gone? A: The UH Cafeteria now offers a variety of value-priced combo meals. Try any of the following: Breakfast 3 under $3 (tax included):
Lunch and dinner 5 under $5 (tax included):
In addition, the UH Cafeteria now offers $.99 items, Click here for additional value-priced options available in the UH Cafeteria. Q: I heard that half of the employees who responded wanted to keep Wendy’s or have Subway in that space. How did we come up with Einstein Bros. Bagels and Fresh n Healthy Café? A. Slightly more than half of respondents said they’d like to see some other fast-food restaurant in Wendy’s place. Of those respondents, a significant portion stated they’d like to see a Subway if given the choice. Given that sentiment, Subway was invited to bid on a contract for the new space – as were a number of other vendors. However, their bid did not meet all the criteria necessary to award them the contract. The contract was awarded based on a number of factors, which included how well we felt they could meet the needs of our faculty and staff, and patients and families, such as service hours, price and healthy menu options; the variety of food available such as breakfast, lunch and dinner; and other business-related factors. Q: Doesn’t Einstein Bros. Bagels serve just bagels and coffee-type stuff? A: Actually, Einstein Bros. Bagels has an extensive menu, most items of which will be available around the clock. Take a look at their printable flier to learn more about what will be in store for you once they open. Q: I’m worried that patients and families – especially those who are staying for a long time – won’t have access to affordable meals, or kids’ meals. What is available to them when these new services open? A: While traditional kids meals – such as small hamburgers or chicken nuggets, with fries, drinks and toys - will not be on either menu, or in the UH Cafeteria, value meals and $.99 menu items appropriate for children are available. However, if a family is experiencing financial hardship due to a loved-one in the hospital, resources are available for qualified families at the Guest Assistance Program. Please provide them with this phone number: 734-764-6893 or toll free: 800-888-9825. Q: I want to file a complaint about customer service, food quality or other issue I have with the UH Cafeteria. Where do I go to have my concerns addressed? A: Though the UH Cafeteria and the new food services, Fresh n Healthy Café and Einstein Bros. Bagels will be located within UH, Aramark is responsible for their operations. If you have a concern or question that needs to be addressed, please feel free to contact one of the following Aramark representatives: Gerianne Calcagno, general manager David Adler, food service director Your satisfaction is our highest priority. Q: I keep hearing about MFit-approved items. What does this mean and how do I know if I’m eating it? A: MFit-approved items are food items that have been evaluated by registered dietitians from the MFit Health Promotion Division at the U-M Health System. All MFit-approved items meet specific nutritional guidelines and are marked with an MFit logo. For more information about MFit-approved and the MFit Healthy Dining program, visit www.med.umich.edu/food/aramark.htm#MFit. Q: Do your products contain trans-fat? A: In 2005 the UH Cafeteria phased out oils with trans-fatty acids used for deep frying. However, please be aware that some pre-packaged products may contain trans-fats. You should always check food labels before purchasing an item if you require trans-fat free food. If you have any questions or need additional information please contact Craig Luck at 734-763-9458 or email lluck@umich.edu.
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