College of Communication freshman Lilly Miller said she walked into the Panera Bread in West Campus earlier this month, only to discover that the restaurant does not accept Boston University convenience points.
“I would think that it would be profitable for BU,” she said. “Those are popular places to eat.”
According to restaurant employees, Panera Bread, Noodle Street and other restauraunts on campus have requested to participate in the Boston University points plan, said store managers, but have not been accepted.
Glenn O’Gara, manager of Panera Bread, said he has asked to participate at least two or three times, but that BU has denied the requests on the grounds that students will use their points at off-campus establishments that are not owned by BU instead of the on-campus locations for which the points plan is designed.
“We have tried earnestly,” O’Gara said, “but BU is very proprietary about their BU points.”
Noodle Street has tried every year to make BU points acceptable, said manager Chris Chan. “BU didn’t accept us. I don’t know why.”
Marc Robillard, executive director of Housing and Dining, said in an email interview that the restaurants on or near campus that accept points are operated by BU or one of its contractors. Domino’s Pizza and Papa John’s are exceptions, he said, because they have replaced the pizza delivery services that were once run by BU.
“We have chosen not to go with external vendors because there are so many around the campus,” Robillard said. “We will not add all of the external vendors. It would be impractical and impossible to pick one over another.”
COM freshman Adriana Scialabba said that while more restaurants accepting dining and convenience points would be a good idea, the lack of locations that accept convenience points does not concern her.
“I don’t load convenience points on my card, but if dining dollars were accepted, it would make me more likely to go to other restaurants,” she said.
COM freshman Ilana Berman said that BU should allow more restaurants on campus to participate in the BU points program.
“Conveniences points by nature are convenient,” she said. “I think it would be a good idea for BU to expand their points service.”
“It would be much better if they do,” said College of Arts and Sciences junior Racha Itani. “I have to go all the way to the GSU to get food sometimes.”
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