No, this post is not about my recent BSN program, which is now over.  This post is not about my recent house-selling experience, which is only on hiatus. 

This post concerns the cafeteria where I work.  A disclaimer: the cafeteria is not run by employees of my workplace. I believe it is leased out to some other company, so this post is NOT a reflection on my workplace, which is great. It’s my observation about the contractor who does business in my workplace.

I have eaten in this cafeteria at least once or twice a week (sometimes twice in one day) for the past year.  The following things have been steadily getting worse: food quality, service, hours of operation, price, and selection of menu items.  If I compare the cafeteria right now to the cafeteria of a year ago, the food options are fewer, they taste worse, and they are more expensive. Some of the staff are surly and they start shutting the food lines down way too early.

And so I’m done. I refuse to give them any more of my money.  I have the choice to eat there or not, and I would rather eat food that is hot and fresh, even if I have to drive 2 miles away to get it.  For an example, today I got a tenderloin sandwich. The sandwich by itself cost me just under $5, and that’s with no sides.  Another person got five scrawny looking chicken strips for $6.   For this kind of money, I could pick up food from TGI Fridays every day and pay less than what I’m currently paying. But I can’t do that either.  

I’m going to start bringing my lunch on the days I don’t have the van, and looking for cheaper alternatives on the days I can drive.  I sincerely hope that enough of my co-workers do what I’m doing (avoid the cafeteria) so that the contractor loses the contract and some other company comes in that can do a better job selling good food for less money with happier employees.