How to Use Clarion Group’s College Dining Consultants to Modernize your Facility

Attracting and retaining the attention of young adults can be a challenge for many campus-based facilities. These establishments need to offer an ideal layout and an exciting menu to keep customers satisfied and willing to return on a daily basis. 

College dining consultants understand that an on-campus facility requires repeat business because potential customers are a much smaller and more specific group.  College dining consultants assist with menu planning, layout design and management details to ensure that college facilities thrive in their market.

The Benefits of a Dining Consultant

1. Menu Planning

When it comes to college-aged kids, the menu is the most important factor in success.  Young adults are likely on a budget and need to eat more than most.  This target market is looking for an affordable meal, large portions and variety.  There are many popular diets that are in demand such as vegetarian, gluten-free and grain-free.  A dining consultant will be able to design a menu with these popular options in mind, and will help the facility with finding local and cost-effective sources for ingredients. 

The menu, above everything else, is the component of the facility that will be discussed between friends and recommended to others.  It is of utmost importance that every dining facility’s menu should be analyzed and re-designed, as required by the changing trends and customer requirements in the market. 

2. Layout Design

Young adults will want to dine in a facility that is aesthetically pleasing and has room to study or socialize with friends.  The facility should not be too upscale because many college kids will feel uncomfortable or intimidated by the atmosphere.  On the other hand, being too casual may turn off students that want to bring a date, or their family, into the facility. Dining consultants will help their clients to strike the balance between casual and refined to design a dining facility that works for a variety of students and their needs. 

The layout will also be considered to ensure that the traffic flows logically and that the space is being used effectively so that there is no over-crowding, while still fitting in a large number of students. 

3. Management Advice

The most important aspects of managing a successful dining facility is what goes on behind the scenes and this includes management, finances and team development.  A dining consultant will be able to analyze the business to determine areas of strengths and limitations.  From these findings, the consultant will work toward improving the business from the inside out.  This service is especially important if the facility has been struggling financially or with employee retention.

A dining consultant has the experience and resources to improve a college dining facility by modernizing the menu, designing the best layout for the space and by providing management and financial advice.  These services help businesses thrive and compete in a competitive market space.  Clarion Group has a team of dedicated college dining consultants that specialize in campus-based facilities.