The Dunkin’ effect on campus dining

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The possibility of bringing Dunkin’ Donuts to campus started about two years ago when the dining contract was out to bid to various food companies.

PASSHE dining and Shippensburg University had to first approve the proposal before construction plans could begin to take place. Construction started last May, after students left for summer break and the project was finished in early August.

Since the advent of Dunkin’ Donuts at SU, students started gravitating toward their favorite coffee companies.

Starbucks sales have decreased approximately 10 to 15 percent this semester, said Brooke Hall, assistant director of retail. However, the extra revenue coming in from Dunkin’ Donuts tends to balance out Starbucks, Hall said.

Both Dunkin’ Donuts and Starbucks are under Chartwells dining services. The hype over a coffee competition is really just that — hype.

“We see ourselves as part of the family,” Hall said of the two coffee powerhouses.

Rebekka Cuadro, an employee at Starbucks, shares a similar opinion to Hall. “The students have created a competition that doesn’t even exist. We are all Chartwells so we are all one family so there isn’t any competition,” Cuadro said.

But what if students see a Starbucks employee buying from Dunkin’ Donuts?

“I tell them that there isn’t a competition and I like both coffee companies,” Cuadro said.

One reason Dunkin’ Donuts does seem to draw a slightly larger crowd is the lower price point.

“I have heard good things from people about Dunkin’ — even just the pricing,” said Katherine Cromwell, a Dunkin’ Donuts employee.
“Students try not to waste flex but when they do get low they may come to Dunkin’ because of our better prices,” Cromwell said.

In addition to the decrease in Starbucks sales, the hours of Chickendipity, located in the Ceddia Union Building, have changed. Chickendipity is open until 12 a.m. seven days a week instead of until 2 a.m. This change was made due to the slow business during the 12-2 a.m. hours, and to help compensate for the cost of adding Dunkin’ Donuts.