Food delays both on and off-campus are echoing national concerns about supply chain stoppages and the hiring crisis. Rowan students who have night courses ending at 9 p.m. or later are unable to find many dining options that use the University Meal Plan — or dining options at all.

“The only places open (that late at night) for meal plans are Grill Nation and Jersey Mike’s,” said Niko Ioannou, a Rowan student. 

These dining options reportedly experience delays of up to an hour and a half. There’s an influx of food orders at night; post-traditional dinner time. Ioannou further stated that “it [is] ridiculous that Gourmet Dining justifies only having those two places open when so many students get food at those hours.”

Another student, Ally Passalacqua, reported that by 8 p.m., the Student Center also has wait times of over an hour and a half, forcing students to seek non-associated Rowan eateries. Niko Ioannou further added that the long wait times “make having a meal plan pointless.”

Rowan University requires all incoming Freshmen that live on-campus to purchase a meal plan, according to Rowan’s Housing website. Rowan University’s cheapest available meal plan costs $458.00 while its most expensive plan costs upwards of $2,300.00 per semester. These meal plans include access to all on-campus dining facilities as well as “Rowan Bucks,” which can be used both on and off-campus. 

Students have grown frustrated that this requirement has restricted their food options rather than enhanced them.  

According to students, the Grubhub mobile app is experiencing technical issues with the Student Center eateries. The app has inaccurate wait times over half an hour. 

“The wait time is really frustrating,” Haley Flores, a Rowan freshman said. 

Rowan University is not alone in its food delays. Across the country, previously unheard, wait times have become the norm. 

Workers have been refusing to return to their places of employment, demanding higher wages, better benefits or better working conditions. Because of the lack of workers, the global economy has suffered. 

As the Christmas season rapidly approaches, increasing demand for food and other products, Rowan University students will likely see longer wait times. 

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