In 2005, our firm was retained by Illinois State University to develop a long-term campus-wide strategic master plan for Campus Dining Services. The goal of the planning effort was to work closely with the University and its campus planners to conduct a market assessment, evaluate and confirm dining optimum location(s) and develop a strategic planning document to assist ISU as its campus landscape changed. The planning project resulted in a $6 million design initiative to renovate Linkins Dining Center. Our firm was the lead foodservice consultant on this project.

In order to create a meaningful strategic plan, our team conducted in-depth qualitative and quantitative market research including on-site focus groups with students, faculty and staff along with personal interviews and a web-based survey distributed to the ISU students, faculty and staff. This market research focused on identifying customers’ preferences as they relate to meal plans and determining if the current meal plan options and policies contributed to or detracted from the potential success of the Campus Dining Services, customers’ preferences regarding national brands, customers’ level of satisfaction for each venue on campus and customers’ perceptions of on-campus catering and conference services.

Our study also included a review of the feasibility of central production including service methods, operational requirements, menu items that are likely candidates for central production, as well as providing an estimate of how many meals will be served and determining how many on-campus dining venue locations central production should be designed to support. This review included a review of the central bakery and warehouse operation and identification of potential conflicts or benefits of separating cook chill from this location or combining the central warehouse and bakery and cook-chill facility into one location. We developed a staffing matrix for central production, outlined staffing requirements and provided a calculated return on investment for cook-chill production.

Our team also prepared extensive financial models, staffing matrices and developed a payback analysis (ROI) for proposed foodservice venues and reviewed current business systems to recommend necessary improvements.

Our scope of work included the development of a preliminary design program for the proposed new construction and/or renovations of residential, retail and convenience-store operations. We prepared a demand analysis for each board and cash operation and recommended modifications or new constructions, along with a preliminary estimate of capital equipment investments and hand-drawn schematic drawings of the proposed concepts. When ISU implemented the recommendations detailed in our final master plan report regarding anytime (unlimited access) dining and new customer friendly meal plans and extended hours of operation, meal plan participation increased significantly and customer satisfaction soared.