Vendors return to points

Bull Whips may once again become a late-night campus tradition now that Wild Bull's Pizza is working to rejoin the Merchants on Points program-perhaps along with Papa John's and other food vendors-later this semester.

Joe Pietrantoni, associate vice president for auxiliary services, said that several vendors have decided to sign new contracts with the University after taking a one-semester leave from the program. Wild Bull's owners had said last September that the 18 percent commission on gross profit the University charges for the program was too high. Nevertheless, Pietrantoni said the impending deal will charge the same rate during the spring semester.

Sharron Barnett, co-owner of Wild Bull's, said that after suffering a significant loss of business last semester, she was left with no other choice than to rejoin the points program. "We still get a lot of calls from students who want [to use points]," Barnett said. "When students have points to use, that's what they're going to use."

Barnett said that talks are currently underway with the University and that she expects Wild Bull's to be back on points within the next couple of weeks. Her only concern, she added, is finding enough employees to handle the new business that will result from the deal.

Hobert Lanham, Papa John's general manager, said that although his company has not yet signed a contract with the University, he is enthusiastic about the prospect of rejoining the program. When Papa John's was on the points system last spring, Lanham said, the restaurant was doing about $20,000 of business each week. During its absence from the program, the restaurant has been clearing only $12,000. "Eighteen percent is a lot, but it's worth it," he said. "I'd rather have 82 percent of $20,000."

Lanham, who just joined Papa John's last month, said that previous managers had trouble coordinating the points program with the restaurant's computer system. But the restaurant has installed new computers, he said, and he is currently training his staff on the new system. Lanham plans to discuss the deal with his partner and supervisor by today, and he is waiting to receive the necessary paperwork from the University.