BU Domino Partnership

BU’s Domino’s Decision About Convenience Points Usage Leaves Students Hungry for Options

September 26, 2024, 4:37pm by Anusha Agarwal

BOSTON — In June 2024, Boston University ended its partnership with Domino’s Pizza, removing the option for students to use convenience points for delivery. The decision, part of BU’s shift toward focusing on food quality control and sustainability, has left many students frustrated.

Students, who could previously use their convenience points for Domino’s delivery, can no longer do so at the popular Park Drive location. According to Emir Polat, Domino’s assistant manager at the location, BU stopped allowing convenience points for delivery due to payment issues, such as insufficient funds.

However, BU Dining Services claims the decision was driven by low student usage. Lynn Cody, Director of Marketing for BU Dining, stated, “We assess all of our programs based on the volume of students using them, and the usage was insufficient to justify continuation of the program.” 

The aforementioned payment issues arose from Domino’s post-payment system. BU found the payment method too risky, leading to the end of the partnership despite Domino’s expressing a desire to continue it.

BU viewed this payment system as too unpredictable and incompatible with their preference for more secure, upfront payment methods through third-party apps. However, since Domino’s uses its own delivery drivers, it couldn't integrate with apps like Grubhub or UberEats. According to Polat, Domino’s chose to stick with its own vetted drivers due to security concerns in a student-heavy area. “A lot of places use UberEats drivers, but we know our drivers—we hire them, we know their social security numbers,” Polat explained.

In addition to this, BU’s current dining strategy suggests a broader shift away from off-campus dining options. BU is focusing on expanding inclusive on-campus dining and vending machine solutions. “We’re piloting late-night operations at the Warren Towers C-Store,” Cody said, referring to vending machines that are available for students seeking late-night snacks at City Convenience.

BU’s shift in priorities includes more emphasis on inclusive meals and on-campus options. Colin Riley, Executive Director of Media Relations at BU, explained that the university’s dining services are committed to ensuring that all students, including those with medical or dietary needs, have access to healthy, inclusive meals. “If they use off campus, we don’t have any of that quality control or things like that,” Riley said. “If you think of dining services, there’s so many aspects to it. Procuring local foods, supporting local businesses, all of our sustainability initiatives,” Riley added.

Riley pointed to initiatives like working with the Sargent Nutrition Center to accommodate students with medical or dietary needs, offering one-on-one consultations and access to special facilities for students who require them. He highlighted BU’s efforts to respond to feedback, saying, “A lot of it stems from specific feedback.”

Despite BU’s emphasis on food quality and inclusive meals, students in South Campus felt the impact of losing convenient delivery options. Anthony DiPaolo, a sophomore at Questrom, shared his frustration: “The dining halls at BU close relatively early, and Domino’s was a convenient option, especially for those in South Campus.”

Many students like DiPaolo see convenience as a priority over sustainability. Aleah Sebrey, a sophomore in the College of Fine Arts, emphasized the importance of delivery options, especially for busy students. “[Delivery] makes it easier for students whose schedules don’t allow for them to go to dining halls,” she told The Daily Free Press.

Nearby universities like Northeastern and Emerson offer more flexibility in their dining programs. Both universities have expanded their convenience points to include popular off-campus locations such as El Jefe’s and Domino’s. Monica Vicente, General Manager of El Jefe’s at Northeastern, explained, “We approached the university about it, and they allowed us to accept dining dollars.”

In contrast, BU’s El Jefe’s location does not accept dining points, which further adds to student frustration. “Schools do what is in their own interest. There’s no criticism for what another school does,” Riley commented, reiterating BU’s focus on ensuring control over food quality and providing inclusive meal options rather than prioritizing convenience.

Aarohi Bhatt-Gaitonde, a sophomore at Northeastern, shared her perspective as someone who benefits from the dining flexibility at her university. “I use my Husky Dollars every day at El Jefe’s,” she said. “At Northeastern, we can use dining dollars everywhere—even CVS—and it makes life so much easier.”

Though BU stands firm in prioritizing control over food quality and inclusivity over expanding off-campus partnerships, students like DiPaolo believe there’s room for compromise. “Other universities focus on dietary concerns as well, yet they're still able to offer plenty of off-campus options as part of their dining plans. Why can't BU?” he said.

As BU solidifies its focus on sustainability, its decision to limit off-campus dining partnerships reflects its commitment to controlling food quality and environmental responsibility. Whether this approach will continue to meet the needs of its evolving student body remains to be seen.

About the Author: Anusha Agarwal is a sophomore at Boston University, majoring in media science. This article is part of the COM 201 course assignment.

For more information:
Email: anushaag@bu.edu

Source List

Primary:

Aarohi Bhatt-Gaitonde. Northeastern University Student, School of Architecture ‘27. 16 September 2024. aarohibhattgaitonde@gmail.com. 617-606-1662. Phone interview. 

Anthony DiPaolo. BU Student, QST ’27. 16 September 2024. adipaolo@bu.edu. 516-993-5584. In-person interview.

Colin Riley. Executive Director, Media Relations at BU. 18 September 2024. criley@bu.edu. 617-353-5386. Phone interview.

Emir Polat. Assistant Manager, Domino’s Park Drive. 18 September 2024. 617-424-9000. Phone interview. 

Lynn Cody. Director of Marketing, Boston University Dining Services. 20 September 2024. lcody@bu.edu. Email interview. 

Monica Vicente. General Manager, El Jefe's Northeastern. 18 September 2024. monica@eljefestaqueria.com. 617-963-3651. Email interview.

Secondary:

Amato, Megan. “Domino’s Delivery No Longer Accepting Meal Points from BU Students.” The Daily Free Press, 10 Sept. 2024, dailyfreepress.com/2024/09/10/dominos-delivery-no-longer-accepting-meal-points-from-bu-students/.