Students Help Take a Bite Out of School Funding Cutbacks

March 30, 2011

Throughout the country, protesting students carry signs for academic programs that are being eliminated due to budget shortfalls. Federal and State budgets have been reduced, causing School Districts to cut programs to stay afloat.

Many School Districts fund food service programs with money that could go toward academic programs.

"A lot of these money problems can be solved by looking no further than their school cafeterias," says Barry Schuster, Food Court design expert. "The cafeteria program is the only department in a school that makes money – and if it is not operating at full capacity, it’s like you just wasted a golden opportunity to bring in revenue."

Many school cafeterias only serve 40 to 60% of the students and that means many millions of dollars of potential revenue are not being realized.

Three main reasons for students not eating in school are "cafeteria looks unappealing," "perception that school food is unappetizing," and "stigma of eating in cafeteria," says Schuster.

"Our Universal Seating Company Food Court makeovers have made millions of dollars for Food Service programs and turned cafeterias into profitable Food Courts," says Schuster, "and our program will work in almost every school."

Students like it because they think they are in a fast food restaurant, and the school administration likes it because they do not have to support the cafeteria with fu nds that can be used for student instruction.