Like many other higher-education institutions, Cornell University, in Ithaca, N.Y., is no stranger to renovations. Its five-year grand plan includes the overhaul of at least four of the 18 campus dining facilities. Since the student population has held steady at 20,000, Dining Services Director Nadeem Siddiqui plans to increase revenues by targeting more off-campus students and faculty. Still, with the opening later in 2000 of two new cafes, plus a third at the beginning of 2001, sales should take a healthy swing upwards. Hennefarth anticipates no slowdown in business for corporate foodservice on the West Coast, especially in Silicon Valley.
Health care is another story.
Reeling from drastic government budget cuts and ever-shortened patient stays, hospital administrators are looking for any way to reduce costs. Often, foodservice is an easy target. Administrators are scared. S.C. With the budgetary challenges, health-care foodservice operators are adding more profit centers on the retail front.