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Foodist, the new meal provider, began operating the 2nd Dormitory student cafeteria on September 22. While users have responded positively to its operational approach, certain aspects still require improvement regarding convenience and long-term sustainability.

Food artist, the meaning of Foodist

Foodist Came to the 2nd Dormitory Cafeteria

Foodist is a private company specializing in foodstuff distribution and contract catering services in South Korea. The company provides catering services to various facilities, including government offices, companies, sports teams, hospitals, and universities. Foodist has been offering meal services to universities such as Seoul National University and Sejong University, and has now expanded its service to Kyung Hee University (KHU) 2nd Dormitory cafeteria since late September.

The new service includes several adjustments. For operational hours, breakfast and lunch will run from 8:00 to 9:00 and 11:30 to 13:30, respectively, the same as the former company. However, dinner time has been extended by 30 minutes, now running from 17:00 to 19:00. Additionally, weekend service will no longer be provided.

The meal options have also expanded. While the former meal provider offered only one menu to focus on taste, and the snack bar only served ramen, the current company provides a wider variety. They now serve two lunch meals at different price points: A corner at 5,500 won and B corner at 6,500 won. The snack bar has also been added to-go salads for 6,500 won, and ramen can now be customized with toppings like cheese and green onion.

Two meal corners for the 2nd Dormitory Foodist

Another noteworthy change is the introduction of the self-meal service. Users can freely serve themselves during breakfast and dinner, as well as at the A corner during lunch. Woo Hye-jeong, the manager of 2nd Dormitory Foodist, explained that "the self-meal service is a clause included in the contract."

The significance of the self-meal service lies in its potential risks. It has negative profit implications: it reduces the predictability of meal quantities and allows some users to take more than the standard portion. The KHU Cooperatives has also previously mentioned that aspects of the self-meal service contribute to its profit inefficiency. Therefore, Foodist's decision appears to prioritize user satisfaction and convenience over risk reduction.

KHU students are serving themselves for dinner in the 2nd Dormitory Foodist

Positive View, but the Visitor Number Was Relatively Low

The new meal provider has earned positive reviews from visitors. Park Tae-hong, a security worker at the 2nd Dormitory, mentioned, "The taste has improved, and the atmosphere is cozier with the newly remodeled space. I especially like the self-service system." He added that the hygiene concerns caused by the former meal provider seem to have been resolved, expecting that more visitors will come if Foodist maintains this quality of service.

Cho Seo-yun, the student from the School of Liberal Studies, also added the same point of satisfaction. He said that compared to the former meal provider, the freedom of meal selection, pricing, and taste has all improved. In particular, hygiene concerns that existed in the past are no longer an issue. He said, "The 2nd Dormitory's menu seems more likely to be preferred by students. This might be what distinguishes it from the Student Center's cafeteria meals."

Despite these expectations, the demand fell below expectations. The bidding document projected about 800 visitors per day. However, Woo Hye-jeong, the 2nd Dormitory Foodist manager, stated, "We expected 600 to 800 visitors per day, but the opening day's attendance did not reach this target."

The daily user numbers from KHU Cooperatives indicate that KHU members still prefer the Student Center cafeterias. Kim Kyung-yun, the Dietitian of the Student Center cafeterias, explained, “The meal headcount for September 22 was 1,626. This number typically ranges between 1,600 and 1,900, but that day saw approximately 100 fewer people using our cafeterias than usual.

Limited Payment Options: A Potential Inconvenience

Although the Foodist offers various amenities, its payment options will likely limit convenience. Meal payments are accepted only by physical cards. The snack bar provides more payment methods than just physical cards, but these are limited to Samsung Pay and LG Pay.

Previously, the 2nd Dormitory cafeteria offered a QR purchasing option. Riaeni La Matinee partnered with PAYCO, allowing users to pay with either a connected credit card or points charged in the application (app).

Physical card, Samsung Pay, and LG Pay, the only mobile payment options for the snack bar in the Foodist

Compared to the KHU Cooperatives, Foodist reveals a limited range of payment options. The Student Center cafeteria accepts not only physical cards and Samsung Pay but also various mobile payment apps. Kakao Pay, PAYCO, Naver Pay, and WeChat Pay are all available. Users can also pay with the It's Me app—exclusive to KHU Cooperative—using pre-charged points.

Regarding the QR payment option, Woo explained that it would soon implement the Gourmet Place app, which is exclusively for Foodist and provides remote reservation services. However, she added that the app would first undergo a trial operation with the KHU Sport team before determining whether to expand its service range. This indicates that the app will not be available for general use in the near future.

Foodist took over the 2nd Dormitory cafeteria with the hope of ending the nightmare provided by the previous meal service. While users have expressed satisfaction with the new service, several risks still remain. This suggests the KHU community needs to monitor Foodist's future service carefully.