Our firm has worked with Brigham Young University Idaho (BYUI) on many projects and in Spring 2007, the University again hired our team to complete an operational analysis of its current dining program prior to the completion of the renovated Manwaring Center. Campus administrators wanted to take a closer look at the University Dining Services (UDS) department’s operational systems to assess the appropriateness of all of the venues’ staffing levels, the department’s training modules and their effectiveness, the utilization of the department’s business systems and the longer-term financial implications the new dining venues and program enhancements would have on the department’s bottom line. At the time, BYUI was preparing to make several significant changes to its dining program including the elimination of mandatory meal plans for residential students and a move away from all-you-care-to-eat dining to an a la carte environment including the opening of a new 1,300-seat marché dining venue in the Manwaring Center.

The scope of work included conducting an extensive review and critical analysis of the University Dining Services department’s overall management and organizational structure, labor, financial accountability, financial reporting by business unit, financial performance measures for all dining operations, inventory management and other business systems and the current dining program. Our team also conducted personal interviews and focus groups with campus administrators and dining services employees.

PKC recommended that BYU Idaho invest in a complete inventory and business management system in order to gather empirical data that would allow managers to make informed decisions regarding various aspects of the dining program now and in the future. We also recommended that the University consider offering anytime dining (unlimited access with unlimited seconds) in the new marche venue in order to provide students with the traditional style of campus dining that many students said they would miss with the move to all a la carte venues. We also recommended other changes to enhance customer service and catering services.

To illustrate the financial impact of our recommendations, we completed a five-year financial model along with a recommended organizational chart illustrating additional positions we believed that the University’s Dining Services department should have in place in order to be most successful.

In addition, Porter Khouw was a partner with the University and FFKR Architects on the exciting renovation of the Manwaring Student Center on the campus of Brigham Young University in Rexburg, Idaho. This project began in Fall 2002 when Porter completed a master plan for the University’s foodservices department. The goals of the design project were: 1) to create a contemporary and comfortable gathering place for the entire campus community; and 2) to double in size and to modernize the existing foodservice operations in the building.

The new foodservice venues opened in Fall 2009. The foodservice operations include the Crossroads Food Court, an 18,000 sq. ft., state-of-the-art marché-style dining venue which has been designed so that it can be used for a la carte or all-you-care-to-eat styles of service. It was designed to serve 800 students over a 30 minute period and 3,000 students during the lunch rush. The facility also features a 16,500 square foot production kitchen that includes a central bakery and commissary for dry, refrigerated and frozen goods as well as a catering pick-up area. The existing kitchen was updated to increase efficiency, storage space and catering production space.