Pub pushes pop plan to promote patronage
By Michal Tellos
News Editor
September 9, 2009
Starting this semester, the Pub will introduce a new initiative known as the Pop Plan, which is designed to save students money, and encourage them to eat at the Pub more often.
The most basic elements of the Pop Plan is that it offers students a bottomless glass of pop, for either $65 for both semesters, or $40 for one.
UWSA vice-president of finance Aaron Campbell has been very involved in the development of the plan, explains that if a student has two drinks a day at the Pub, this would save them $663 over an eight month period, or $324 if they purchase the single semester voucher.
Students who purchase the plan will receive a sticker on the back their student card that they simply have to show the wait staff.
In addition to the savings on pop, students who purchase into the plan will save $2 on food, and gain free entry to the pub.
However, if a club books the Pub for a party or event, the Pop Plan is cut off after 9p.m.
Although the initial $65 fee seems like a lot of money up front, Campbell notes that although this may be a difficult step for students without a meal plan, it won’t be for students with one.
“All students living in residence are required to purchase a meal plan at the beginning of the year, and because the Pub now accepts the basic portion of the meal plan, the initial capital shouldn't present a problem for these students,” he said, also adding that the rewards for students without a meal plan would be great.
Another goal of the Pop Plan is to create a large influx of initial cash at the Pub, to lower its dependency on the UWSA, which would ultimately help students as well.
“This essentially means that the amount of the loan that the Pub needs to start up each year will be reduced significantly, saving students even more money,” said Campbell.
In 2007, a Yale University study definitively concluded that “soft drinks are associated with increased caloric intake, higher body weight, a decrease in calcium and other nutrients, and increased risk of Type II diabetes,” but Campbell notes that this students will drink pop regardless of health concerns, and this plan is partially to see if students would prefer a plan similar to it.
“The goal here isn't really to promote pop as much as it is to find a way to save students money on something they consume anyway. Essentially, the pop plan is just a trial run to see how receptive students would be to such an idea. If successful, the Pub plans to explore other alternatives, such as juice, tea, and coffee,” he said.
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