Students ordering from the Merchants on Points program next semester may find a different range of vendors and hours of service.
Director of Dining Services Jim Wulforst elaborated Monday on changes to MOP announced at last week’s Duke University Student Dining Advisory Committee meeting.
DUSDAC members announced last week that students will be able to tip two merchants using food points starting next Spring. At the group’s meting Monday, Wulforst added that he would like to see MOP vendors stay open later.
“It’s only in the last five years with the addition of several new vendors that they allowed vendors to pick their hours,” he said. “Like, ‘I only want to be in business from six to nine [p.m.].’ Well, so would I.”
Wulforst said MOP was originally designed to serve the Duke community after 7 p.m., and dining services encouraged vendors to deliver until 3 a.m.
“My goal would be to try and not compete too much with the on-campus vendors over dinner, but late-night is where we certainly want more options,” he said.
Although the committee will continue to discuss new requirements for MOP restaurants’ service hours next semester, Wulforst said MOP vendors should remain open until at least midnight.
DUSDAC will also evaluate MOP vendors and make formal recommendations to Dining on the vendors.
“We’re looking to trim the [MOP] program,” said DUSDAC co-Chair Jason Taylor, a senior. “Next semester we’ll make a recommendation as to which MOPs we think we should keep.”
Dining will also experiment with electronic tipping for MOP orders. A Spring pilot program will include two vendors, which has not been selected.
Wulforst said delivery people will carry handheld devices that will allow students to select a 5, 10, 15 or 20 percent tip, or no tip at all.
“It will allow you to tip someone who’s bringing you food at one o’clock in the morning, without scrambling for cash,” he said, adding that cash will still be accepted.
The method will also reduce paperwork behind the scenes, Wulforst said. Students will receive an e-mail confirmation afterwards that will list the tip they selected.
Members of the committee brought up the possibility of fraud, but Wulforst said the e-mail confirmation makes it unlikely.
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