Senator
organizes demonstration against Outpost
By
Nick Magana
Online Forty-Niner
Contributing Writer
Students gathered outside the Outpost Grill to protest high prices and poor
food quality Thursday during the “Outpost Sack Lunch Stand-In,” which
was organized by Sen. Clint Silvestre, College of Engineering.
Chants of “Bad Quality, Bad Prices, Stop the Evil” blared across
the lawn area adjacent to the Outpost. The movement drew 30 protestors and
even fewer spectators, including faculty and staff, from noon to 1 p.m.
Protestors were upset by alleged price gauging and poor quality food compared
to other campus food service locations. They sought to restrain the power of
the “evil,” as they referred to it. The Outpost services lower
campus patrons even after protestors claim management ignored a letter with
a list of demands sent to 49er Shops Board of Directors in April.
Supporters were to bring a sack-lunch and boycott all day to help end the “tyranny,
the bad people, the monopoly, the Outpost.”
Silvestre wrote the complaint letter, which is available at www.outpoststandin.com.
He argues lower campus students are cheated with higher prices and lower quality
food, unlike upper campus students.
“
I was hurt to be called ‘bad people,’” said Doreen Beasley,
an Outpost manager.
Her relationship with students is tight. For example, one time when a student
did not have enough money to buy food, she said she let them “pay her
back next time,” out of trust.
“
In my 18 years working here, not one student that’s been short of money
for food has ever let me down or complained,” said Beasley. “They
return because we build friendly relationships through quality service not
tyranny.”
Danyel Johnson, another Outpost manager, recalls the encounter with Silvestre,
which he said was the basis of Silvestre’s letter. He had a list of questions
and a story about a friend’s experience. Silvestre ordered food and the
conversation ended so he could sit and eat.
“
I think it’s trivial. He left with his friends even after I waited for
him to finish,” said Johnson about their unfinished interview.
“
As a result, he’s giving incorrect information about prices and service
without even giving us a chance to respond to accusations.”
But Johnson isn’t the only one who believes Silvestre may be overreacting.
Emma Phillingane, public relations professor, does not notice a difference
in quality or cost at the Outpost from other 49er shops across campus she visits.
“
You cannot beat the healthy variety of sides they offer here,” Phillingane
said, referring to the choice of salads and vegetables available to substitute
fries since last year. “And cost…at how many places can you get
a chicken sandwich, a drink and a side all for five and a half bucks? C’mon!”
Lizbeth Mendez, a senior journalism major, was not inconvenienced by the student
opinions during the protest or the cost either.
“
I can’t really tell the difference in price,” said Mendez as she
sat with her Monster beverage more concerned with her next class than with
the protest. “Even if it costs a few cents more for this drink, I’d
rather purchase it here than walk all the way across campus and waste the few
minutes between classes.”
49er Shops management was present to take on the issues students addressed.
Patti Gray, food services director, and Don
Penrod, general manager of 49er Shops, anticipated the opportunity to help
clarify complaints and set the record straight for misinformed students. However,
a key player of the movement, Silvestre, was missing.
One Outpost stand-in supporter, Rob Merrell, an engineering major, stopped
to talk to officials during the protest.
“
I eat here because I’m in the building next to door most of the time,” Merrell
said. “I would like to see the quality improved and that’s what
I’m here to express.”
Gray reiterated she is always available to speak about any concern because
that is her job. She invited Merrell and company to participate in a focus
group.
“
We are passionate about food,” Gray said. “We are proud of our
service and anyone is welcome to look around and compare us to other campuses.”
Silvestre showed up at the end of the demonstration. Despite his failure to
attend and the amount of protestors who participated, he feels the rally was
a success.
“
Management gained an understanding of student opinion and we hoped to provoke
change,” Silvestre said after speaking with management. “Now upper
campus management knows we’re alive.”
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