Photo of Outside Area of Main Residence Dining Hall
| Taken by Chelsey Brown
Florida A&M University’s food service provider, Metz Culinary Management has stepped up their game as it pertains to visibility on campus and their inclusion to serve more students.
During a time where students are fighting to be heard on issues that involve parking, on-campus residences, campus safety, and bus transportation. It is refreshing to know that at least one entity on FAMU’s campus has been listening. To appeal to students, Metz has decided to try strategies that seem to be working for them.
One of Metz’s strategies is their social media presence. Their Instagram handle, (@Famu_Metz) currently has a following 776 users and has a gallery of 558 posts and their Facebook account (@MetzAtFAMU) has a following of 409 users. Both social media accounts are tailored to highlight the many eateries on FAMU’S campus including but not limited to the Starbucks, Chick-Fil-A, and the infamous Rattler’s Nest. Metz also uses their page to keep the FAMU community abreast on their many promotional themes, giveaways, and sales.
Megan Potts, a senior english student with a “Rattler 10” (10 meal swipes and 300 flex bucks) commuter plan said, “I like Metz. Their marketing to students and healthier food options makes them more appealing compared to when I first enrolled here.”
Since March of 2017, FAMU alumna and marketing manager for FAMU’s Metz has been Catherine Segar, who has been tasked with serving as a liaison between the students and management.
“At Metz, we are constantly trying to convey the message and get the student body to understand that we care about them and are here to make their dining experience on FAMU’s campus amazing.”
Metz has shown through recent initiatives that they plan on keeping their word. Earlier this month, to show appreciation of African culture and celebrate the recent premiere of the movie, Black Panther, Metz hosted a “Dress Like Royalty” dinner. Metz encouraged students, faculty, and staff to dress in their best African attire and enjoy an African-inspired dinner in the residence-dining hall. The promotion was well received as shown on their social media accounts where students were shown wearing African attire to dine on-campus.
Photo of Suggestion Wall in Main Residence Dining Hall
| Taken by Chelsey Brown
When asked how important student feedback was to Metz, Segar emphasized, “We consider everyone that dines with us a guest. We strive to emulate the restaurant experience and are always open to feedback to help make that experience better.”
Taja Collier, a junior cardiopulmonary science student, currently serves on the University-Wide Food Advisory Committee as a student representative. This committee is comprised of students and faculty from all across campus to gain varying perspective on how Metz can improve in all aspects of their business.
“Metz is a great company that always satisfies my food needs and has greatly improved on their customer service. They are making great strides,” said Collier.
Initiatives such as the “Wandering Chef” food truck that serves quality food to students on the go and “Tuesday Dinners @ Phase 3” which provides food options to students who live a considerably far distance from the main dining hall, came from the ideas of the Food Advisory Committee.
Segar also stated, “we love and cannot wait to push out more initiatives similar to our Tuesday Dinners at Phase 3 and the Wandering Chef, as long as the students come. If we see that we are pushing an initiative that students are not feeling, we will scale back and reevaluate to fit their needs… it really is all about the guests in our eyes.”