Florida State University Announces New Dining Services Contract

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Florida State University announced today a new dining services agreement with Aramark.

Under the new agreement, FSU’s Dining Services will continue to be a large operation that serves students, faculty, staff and visitors from more than 30 campus eateries, catering and athletic dining halls, generating approximately $31 million annually.

The new contract will have a positive impact on all areas of the current dining program, including the all-you-care-to-eat residential locations, retail restaurants, campus convenience stores and catering. Other terms include internships, scholarships and even career opportunities for FSU students, making FSU a premier campus for recruitment.

“I’m excited about our new partnership and the ability to continue to transform the campus dining experience through great food, value, engagement and innovation,” said Kyle Clark, vice president for Finance and Administration at Florida State University. “Just as we have enhanced our efforts in student retention, graduation and overall student success, we also continue to enhance campus dining as a key component to fueling the highest quality educational experience possible at Florida State University.”

With more than 5,500 students and 1,000 faculty and staff members with dining meal plans and many more students, faculty, staff and visitors who eat on campus daily without meal plans, there are thousands of meals served each day on campus.

Aramark will assume operations in January 2021. There will not be any changes in plan offerings or price increases to current meal plans or door rates during the Spring 2021 semester.

“We are excited to join the FSU community and pledge to deliver great hospitality experiences to its students, faculty, staff and visitors,” said Jack Donovan, president of Aramark Higher Education. “We will introduce innovative new programming balanced with our industry leading safety protocols to ensure that all guests receive a high-quality dining program.”

The university’s current provider employs 600 - 700 full and part-time staff members. All current employees will be encouraged to apply for positions with Aramark, which anticipates hiring the majority of existing employees.

The university’s current contract with Sodexo was set to expire in 2028, but Sodexo exercised its option to cancel the contract early due to challenges inflicted by the hurricanes of the past few years and the COVID-19 pandemic. FSU previously had a long-term contract with Aramark that was 15-years-old and ended in 2017.