Boot the Bell? Survey will help decide eatery's fate

Student Life 2/04/05

By David Tabor

Ninety-nine cent tacos may go down south if students continue their complaints against Taco Bell's business practices.

The Student Union Food Committee will conduct an e-mail survey of some Washington University students within the next two weeks to determine dining preferences. A strong response against Taco Bell could prompt the chain's removal from Mallinckrodt's Food Court.

"The goal of the food survey is twofold: to determine whether or not there is a legitimate and overwhelming feeling on campus that Taco Bell should be removed from Mallinckrodt, and to determine what food preferences people have in general," said sophomore Jeff Zove, Food Committee chair.

The Food Committee is jointly sponsored by Student Union and the Congress of the South 40 and works with administrators from Bon Appétit and Dining Services to assess revisions to eating facilities on campus. Bon Appétit, the catering company that manages campus dining, has pledged to strongly consider the Food Committee survey results in deciding whether Taco Bell should be retained.

"If the survey determines that a substantial percentage of students are dissatisfied with Taco Bell, Bon Appétit would then seek alternatives according to student preferences," said Zove, who has been working with Bon Appétit to organize the survey.

Kathy Carmody, general manager of Bon Appétit, reported that Taco Bell is currently the second most popular location in the Food Court, accounting for 19.6 percent of "product moved." Only the "Pasta and Pizza" section is more successful.

The survey will be sent by e-mail to 1000 randomly selected students, made up of 250 from each class. Zove said that the committee had determined that 200 responses would provide an accurate sampling to draw a conclusion from.

A decision to remove Taco Bell would have to be made by late February or early March, Zove said, because time would be needed to install a new food station.

Zove also explained that while the survey would attempt to assess what alternatives students might prefer, the choice of what restaurant would replace Taco Bell would be subject to other concerns as well, such as the selection of bids extended for the location.

The survey comes amid growing controversy over Taco Bell's business practices, both on campus and nationally. The Coalition of Immokalee Workers, a group of Florida farm workers, called for a national boycott of Taco Bell in 2001 to protest what they have called violations of the human rights of farm workers who harvest the tomatoes that Taco Bell uses.

The Student Worker Alliance, an on-campus political activism group, supports the national boycott against Taco Bell and has called for removal of the Taco Bell from Mallinckrodt.

"The Student Worker Alliance strongly feels that Washington University should not conduct business relations with companies, such as Taco Bell, that have a proven track record of poor labor practices," states the Student Worker Alliance on their Web site.

Similar organizations at other colleges have been successful in forcing the closure of several Taco Bell locations, most recently at Portland State and Notre Dame Universities.

Washington University junior Elliot Darvick said he would be "more than disappointed" if Taco Bell were kicked off campus.

"The school has questionable labor practices in general... I don't want to trivialize [SWA's] argument, I just like Taco Bell a lot," he said.

Other students expressed similar sentiments.

"I like Taco Bell, so I would be upset," said sophomore Alexander Mueller. "It would depend on what they put in."

Mueller noted that an Arby's would quiet his disappointment.

In a 2004 press release, Yum! Brands, parent corporation of Taco Bell, asserted that Taco Bell buys the smallest amount of Florida tomatoes of any national fast food restaurant company and that all of its national competitors buy significantly more.

Yum! Brands also argued that any resolution, including the one-cent per pound price increase for tomatoes argued for by the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, should be implemented across the industry rather than targeted at Taco Bell.

Students with suggestions or concerns regarding Taco Bell or other food-related issues can contact the Food Committee at food@su.wustl.edu.