Have you ever wondered what you can and cannot do with your Flex Dollars? Well, here is your all-in-one guide! Flex Dollars are our dining currency for meals, coffees, snacks, and late-night foods at Roberts Wesleyan University. Flex Dollars allows for various options, it all comes down to what you want to spend it on.

The first way to spend flex is on meals. If you ever run low on meal swipes, you can use some of your flex instead of a meal swipe. The most common way to spend Flex Dollars is over at the Intermetzo Café. Over at the café, Flex Dollars can be used to purchase coffee, pastries, fruit, and many more options. Whether it be for a morning pick me up or an afternoon snack, the café and Flex Dollars have you covered! The last and fan-favorite way to use Flex Dollars is at Late Night/Meal Equiv. Meal swipes can be used to purchase an entrée, side, and drink, while flex can be used to cover some additional items. Flex can cover items such as mozzarella sticks, pizza logs, chicken wings, mac & cheese bites, and just a side of fries. Flex Dollars can be used in several ways to satisfy any hunger. Flex Dollars may potentially be used over at our Starbucks location opening in the Golisano Community Engagement Center this coming January.
 
Along with Flex Dollars, there is also Discretionary Flex. Discretionary Flex is additional flex that has to be manually added onto a meal plan. Normal flex comes with a meal plan while discretionary flex has to be added on separately. Normal flex dollars are only good for one semester at a time and do not roll over to the coming semester. Discretionary flex, however, does roll over to the following semester. You can load up your meal plan with discretionary flex, and if you do not use it, all the remainder with still be there the following semester. One easy way to add discretionary flex is with our Flex Black Friday Sale. From November 8th until December 2nd, students and faculty can purchase $100 of discretionary flex and receive an additional $20 for free. To purchase some additional flex, students and faculty can ask Meg or any of our wonderful cashiers, and they will be happy to help. 

​Happy flex spending!

Our dining survey, which will be available from October 24th through November 4th, is an annual survey in which we hope to gain some insight into what is going on at our dining halls. The dining survey can be taken in a multitude of ways, such as through our URL, which will be on our Instagram and Facebook accounts, the email link that will be sent out, or scanning the QR code at our dining hall or cafe to get to the survey.

The purpose of the survey is to provide a way for those who use our dining hall and retail locations to have a voice and let their opinions be heard. We want to use this information to know better how we can serve each person at our dining halls. Those working and preparing everything often don't have the same perspective as those enjoying the food. That is why it is imperative that we use this survey to gain information and knowledge that we may not have otherwise. We try to create a safe atmosphere with the survey by making it anonymous.

Survey users do not have to provide their names or personal information if they do not want to. If any of our survey users want to, they can include their email and name, and they will be entered into a random raffle drawing for an Amazon.com gift card.

One big thing here at Roberts that we wanted to emphasize this time is getting our survey out to our faculty as well. Many professors come to our dining hall often to eat with their peers or catch up with an old student of theirs. In past years, many of our faculty haven't known that they also have a voice we want to hear. They have been under the impression that it is mainly for our students when it is for both the students and faculty. As such, this year, we will be greatly trying to get our faculty's opinions so we can also serve them better.
 
Along with the survey, we use our suggestion board to hear things more often from the student body. Students can leave opinions or suggestions on our board so we can address things more quickly. Between the survey and our suggestion board, we hope to hear the student body and faculty better to provide our best possible service to them. 

The survey is a way that Metz can receive formal feedback on how your daily experiences in the dining services have been. It’s important that students, faculty, and staff fill out this survey because of the variety of perspectives and experiences they provide. We were glad to see that this year’s survey received 263 answers!

We Hear You!
The survey showed plenty of positive feedback. When asked what you enjoy most about eating on campus, many repeated things in the survey are worth mentioning. First, many of you said that you love Garlock because of the opportunity to eat with friends and develop quality time together over food. I love that too! In fact, there are times in which I eat earlier in the day, and I still go to Garlock to meet my friends while they are having lunch or dinner. The next thing is the friendly environment and staff, especially Meg, so shout out to her for wishing everyone a happy Tuesday and to all other team members for making Garlock and Intermetzo an enjoyable and welcoming space. Many of you also mentioned that you love Garlock because it’s easy and convenient, which in my case translates as “yay, no dishes to clean!” All jokes aside, being able to serve ourselves again and having different meal options every time without the time and effort to make them is indeed very convenient, so again, thanks to the Metz team. Another convenience point that was mentioned a lot was having meal equivalency and the longer meal hours that fit most schedules, so sleep in as much as you want, Garlock will have a meal for you when you wake up.

We appreciate your feedback, and we want to take into consideration some of the suggestions you made, especially the most mentioned ones. We know that it would be very convenient to have new locations with food and drink options, but we would like to remind you that there are many to-go options you can choose from already in place for those snacks

in-between classes. You can indulge in Chef Fresh, and Chef Fresh At Home menu options to-go in both Garlock during Hawks and the library café: wraps, sandwiches, salads, and more. You can also purchase a green to-go box at Garlock and take a snack from the available menu options back with you. Also, remember that the Golisano Community Engagement Center, set to have its grand opening in the Fall 2022 semester, will have a new Metz location where, not only meal equiv will move to at night, but during the day will have new offerings and variety. Sadly, I will not be able to experience all the new and exciting changes that come with the new building, but I’m sure that there are a lot of plans and ideas in the process of getting ready for the inauguration, including from the Metz side of things.
Regarding the concerns about variety and cycling of meals, we have circa 20 different options cycling every day, plus the salad bar. Those options include at least two protein options in each meal and vegan/vegetarian/gluten-free additions, so stay tuned to find your favorites on the menu online and when you come by for your meal.

Moving Forward…
To the guest who suggested paper towels next to the dish return: genius! We are going to add that this semester along with a hand sanitizer station. And to the rest of the suggestions, we are moving in the right direction to provide you with salami, carrots, celery, and hummus at the salad bar and whole wheat bagels all day. I loved the idea of students having a more hands-on approach to the menu, so every Friday, there will be a poll on Instagram asking you to choose between two items to be offered in the following week (maybe even those chicken tenders that all have been asking for?). We’re also adding a milkshake offering into rotation at the dessert station for all those who asked for the option in the survey, which you can make your own milkshake mix.

For next semester, I’m excited to say that Garlock will have the smoothie bar all-day on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, bringing a little extra exclusivity for the weekend. We will also have breakfast pizzas on the weekend instead of building your own, and a sundae bar for the dessert station rotation, as well as all the changes and additions that we are already putting in place this semester.

Thank you!
Thanks again for filling out the survey. All those changes would not be possible without you! Also, as a reminder, you can fill out Metz “Feed Us Your Thoughts” suggestion cards all year long with all your concerns, feedback, and requests. Just grab one by the Garlock loop entrance or by the Library café next to the 24h lab and pin them at the corkboard, and we will look at it!

VegFest is an October promotion in honor of National Vegetarian Month. During the whole month of October, guests are introduced to healthy, plant-based, and environmentally friendly foods that are mouthwatering and full of protein and flavor during lunch and dinner. In order to celebrate the variety of possibilities of plant-based main plates, Metz is offering 50 different and delicious dishes throughout the month so more people that normally prefer a non-plant-based protein can open their eyes to the taste of new flavors, take the vegetarian route in their meal, and enjoy it just as much as their regular choice.

A word from the Chef:
Joan Bardossi, our Executive Chef, had a few comments about VegFest and the importance of vegetarian food. She narrowed it down to three main points: taste, environment, and health. Joan was a vegetarian when she was in college, and unlike the same few and bland options she had to work with during her meals, vegetarian and plant-based meals have come a long way with both flavor and variety. Now, students have many options for different tastes, and the dishes are well seasoned, cooked with care, and visually appealing. Here are some of the dishes Joan added to the menu this month: Brown-rice risotto with squash and pesto, vegan spinach enchiladas, vegetarian cabbage rolls, Buffalo cauliflower, vegan squash chili, and curried eggplant, just to name a few of the amazing options.

She added that vegetarian eating also helps the environment due to the amount of water saved when keeping and caring for fewer cattle and other farm animals. Also, with smaller pasture space needed for fewer animals, there is less stress on the land and local vegetation, leading to a healthier ecosystem. Lastly, Joan mentioned that eating a diet rich in plant-based foods has been proven to decrease the risk of many chronic diseases. Both vegetarian and vegan diets experienced a reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases, cardiometabolic risk factors, some cancers, and total mortality. However, those who were vegan enjoyed those benefits and a reduced risk of obesity, hypertension, type-2 diabetes, and cardiovascular mortality.

Learn more:
You can also pop by our VegFest informational table located under the entrance TV sign and grab one (or all four) of our health-related flyers to start new and healthy habits. From left to right on the table, the first flyer helps you with tips for preparing food at home since it can be a great way to save money, express creativity and stay on track with healthy eating. Get a basic meal planning exchange list on the second flyer pile that can help control blood sugar levels by spacing foods such as bread, cereal, potato, pasta, fruit, starchy vegetables, and milk evenly throughout the day. The third flyer available is an eating plan for a healthy heart, in which you can look at different food groups and examples of foods to make your own personalized meal and plan a delicious and nutritious menu. Lastly, on our fourth flyer, we have 20 Health Tips from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the world’s largest food and nutrition professionals organization, to improve your quality of life, in which they emphasize exploring new foods, such as introducing a new vegetable to your diet.
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Come by Garlock during October and explore VegFest. I’m sure you will be pleasantly surprised with what vegetables and combinations you will end up enjoying once you give them a try!

There has been a debate going around on campus for years, and every Fall, with the arrival of new students, the discussion comes forward once again. Everyone wants to know what is the name of Metz 8-10 pm meal hours. Besides being officially called Hawk’s Grill, the debate is whether it should be called Meal Equiv, based on the concept of meal equivalency, or Late Night, based on the working times being after dinner until later at night.

What’s meal equivalency?
You can use a meal swipe on the Hawk's Grill to get a quick bite combo with an entrée, side, and drink as the equivalent of a meal during standard hours and swipe on your way out. Your entrée choices are hamburger or cheeseburger, veggie burger, hot dog, grilled cheese, entrée salad, pizza logs, chicken tenders, and wraps/sandwiches. You can choose between 3 options for your side: french fries, side salad, or whole fruit. Your beverage can be any 24oz fountain drink, milk, or juice.

What about flex? What can I do with it?
As mentioned in the previous blog post, each student has a certain number of swipes and a certain amount of flex dollars, so if you want to add some extra fryer goods to your meal or get a single side, you can use your flex to get french fries, mozzarella sticks, pizza logs, and chicken tenders with a choice of sauce between marinara, plain, buffalo, BBQ, and country sweet.

The Hawks Grill also has everyday, weekly, and monthly flex specials. You can order a Colossus burger ($6.99), a Garbage Plate ($9.99), and a Beyond® burger ($6.99) every day with your flex. On Monday, get a bacon-wrapped hot dog. Tuesday is tuna melt day. Order a two-topping personal pizza on Wednesday. On Thursday, you can get a turkey club wrap. Friday’s special is a Philly steak sandwich. You will have to contact our Night Manager, Matthew Hollister, for each monthly special.

Anything else I can get at Hawk’s?
Absolutely! We have retail items, bottled and canned drinks, and Chef Fresh sandwiches, wraps, salads, and fruit by the cashiers that you can buy with flex. Retail items include chips, chocolate candy, energy bars, crackers, instant oatmeal, and mac & cheese. Drinks include iced tea, SoBe® vitamin water, Bang® energy drinks, Bubbly® carbonated water, Mountain Dew®, and Gatorade®.

You are now ready to order! We will see you out at Garlock from 8 to 10 pm for delicious late-night food...a meal equiv, if you will. And don’t forget to contact us with any further questions. Bon appétit!

As a residential student in residence halls, you are automatically assigned one of three meal plans for $2,207 per semester. You can choose the Gold plan, with a semester total of 275 meals and $50 Flex, the Silver Plan with 225 meals and $100 Flex, or the Bronze Plan with 180 meals and $200 Flex.

On the other hand, if you live in townhouses or apartments, you can choose to adhere to one of the previously mentioned three plans or even get the Apartment Plan with 120 meals and$100 Flex for $1,195 per semester.

A meal plan is optional for commuter students. However, besides all four residential plans commuters can choose from, Metz also has two different commuter plans for those who would like to dine at Garlock or swipe at the café rather than paying in cash. The Basic Plan has 25 meals and $250 Flex per semester for $540, whereas the Plus Plan has 50 meals and $200 Flex for $720.

Now, what do the meal swipes and flex dollars mean for your dining experience?
Meal swipes can be used during breakfast, lunch, and dinner hours by swiping in the cashier before getting your food. During one meal period, you are able to swipe into the eatery as many times as you want and it will only count as one swipe. You can also use a meal swipe on the Hawks Grill (also known as Meal Equivalency and Late Night), but we will explain more in detail in the next blog post!

Flex dollars come with your meal plan. They are a dollar-for-dollar currency that is available on every student’s ID, which means you don’t have to worry about having cash or credit cards on hand when you want to make a purchase outside of your meal swipes. Flex dollars can both be used at the Library Café/Intermetzo for drinks, salads, and snacks, at Hawks Grill for specific fried foods and specials, and at Garlock for meals. All students can add discretionary flex dollars to their meal plan accounts. Discretionary flex is extra flex money that students can add to their ID cards to complement their needs, allowing them to have more meals during the day at Garlock, grabbing more drinks at the Café, and many others. Commuters who don’t have a meal plan can also add discretionary flex to their ID cards in order to be exempt from tax when they swipe rather than paying with cash when ordering.

I have a guest with me, what can I do?
All students with Gold, Silver, or Bronze plans get included in their plan two guest passes. Students with Apartment plans have one guest pass available. If you run out of guest passes and you want to pay for someone’s meal, you can always use your flex or add money to your ID card as discretionary flex in the dining hall with cash or credit at the cashier station.

Lastly, keep in mind that unused meal plan meals and flex do not carry over to the next semester, so you must use them within the current semester. This means that your fall meals and flex don’t carry over to the spring semester, and vice-versa. The only item that transfers over is Discretionary Flex.

If you have any additional questions please feel free to contact us. Happy Spending!