1993_11 Insight November 1993

              November 10,1993
Insight/California State University, Fresno
Page 5
Chewing The E*at
Fast food may not
whet social appetite
By Rebecca Boyd	
StaffWriter
Buying a sub or plate of rice
doesn't take much thought or
money but where do all ihe monies go?
Some food companies use iheir
funds to help social causes or influence political ideologies that
affect society as a whole.
CSUF'scampus franchises and
suppliers have company goals, on
the national level, which influence communities.
Carl Karcher Enterprises, which
own Carl's Jr. restaurant, has been
personal ideologies of the board
chairman and founder, Carl
Karcher.
Karcher has been affiliated with
organizations considered "racist"
or "scxisi."
However, on Oct. 1 ,'thc power
bascatCarl Karcher Inds.changcd
and Karcher was demoted to a
board member position.
"There was controversy within
the company concerning marketing goals," said Patty Park, media
relations representative.
"The company felt it was best
to elect a new chair of ihe board,
Bcisy Sanders." said Park.
"Karcher was fired from ihe
company," said Steven Fink, president of Lex icon Communications,
ihc public relations firm which
represent Karcher.
Since Karcher no longer has a
personal stake in the company, his
controversial views of pasl arc no
longer an issue.
"Wc as a whole arc a conservative company and will continue to
be so but while Carl was concerned wiih social issues; we will
focus on business issues. Parker
said.
"Wc wish to focus on economic
issues, making our prices more
affordable for the consumer and
introducing more items on die
Fink feels Karchcr's views are
noi an issue and had little to say of
his current siiuation.
"Mr. Karcher no longer has any
say in running this company and
his views arc irrelevant," he said.
'They have absolutely no effect on how the company is being
run at this lime."
Karcher was experiencing financial problems and a loss of
hold over his company at the lime
of his dismissal.
"Karcher owns 30 percent of
stock," said Park, "But most of
that was purchased or is owned to
loans which arc in default.
"Relations arc not good at this
-Amu. we're wailing to sec wiiai
he (Karcher) will do."
Fink had even less to say of
Karchcr's financial siiuation.
"Mr. Karchcr's loans arc in default and as io whai he'll do aboul
the stock, I don't have time to
educatcaboutthcconscqucnccsof
this," said Fink, "These questions
are totally irrelevant.
"If you want answers go ask
Don Doyle (the new president
CEO) or Betsy Sanders."
While ihc fast-food chain has
moved toward a conservative
stance,othcrssuchas Ben & Jerry's
ice cream arc strongly concerned
with iheir social mission.
"Wc have a separate social mission," said Lcc Holden. multimedia specialist for Ben & Jerry's.
"Wc hope to operate our company
and recognize the role that business plays in the structure of society by creating ways io improve
the quality of life on the local,
national and international levels.*'
"Our social mission is inicrrc-
laied wiih our product and economic missions. These are equally
important goals."
Ben & Jerry's donates 7.5 percent of its pre-tax earnings to the
Ben & Jerry's Foundation, which
awards monies to non-profit and
charitable organizations through a
gram application process.
See SOCIAL, page 9
Chowhounds chow down
By David Donnelly	
Staff Writer
StudcnLslincup20-to 30-decp waning to order a hamburger from ihc
CSUF Carl's Jr. in The Pit
Students make a run for the border,
ordering burritos and Tacos
from Taco Bell.
They line up wailing togcta
roasi beef sandwich on fresh-
baked bread from Subway.
All semester, CSUF slu-
dents arc staying on campus
and consuming mass qualities
of grub.
For the first time, students
have four fast-food restaurants
on campus from which to
choose.
They used io head for
ivicuonaiu s, oiugci King hi
Wendy's for lunch instead of
eating on campus.
According to Jim Prince,
director of Food Services.
CSUF had to do something to
attract business.
"Students weren't satisfied
wiih whai we had," he said.
But students have taken a
definite liking to ihc eateries.
Junior Ciilbcrt Garza said he
never used to eat on campus.
"There were no choices,
just cafeteria food," he said.
However, since ihcsecaicricsopcncd
for business on Aug. 30, Garza has
taken every opportunity to frequent ihc
new places.
"I cat here al leasi every other day or
when I have money." he said.
Garza isn'i the only student staying
on campus to eat this semester.
Business has been belter lhan Fixxl
Services could have ever imagined.
University Board Chair Mars Ann
Drummond said ihe eateries have done
more business in ihe first month of
school lhan the whole spring semester.
Food Services budgeted for
S 110.376 in sales for ihc month of
September and a few days in August.
Bul il did S152, 617 in sales for the
monih, Pnncc said.
Despite ihe success of the four eateries so far this semester, die new pizza
deal wiih Pizza Hut is nol going so well
in The Bucket or in The Pantry in the
CSUF dorms.
Prince said when the weather turns
cold, be hopes students will start utilizing The Pantry.
CSUF Food Services has a different
contract wiih each of the four eateries.
They have a license agreement and
a ihrcc-ycar contract with Taco Bell,
the shortest contract of the four.
cent of royalities to Subway.
Subway will also get 2.5 percent of
the advertising revenue.
Royalities arc what a company pays
for the use of anoihercompany 's name.
Also die money Food Services pays for
advertising comes oul of the gross sales
Marie Ann Toste enjoys a sandwich at CSUF's food court.
They have a license agreement and
a five-year deal wiih China Station and
arc a franchisee of Carl's Jr. and Subway and have a 20-year deal wiih both.
Prince said a flat 10 percent of
royalities is being paid to Taco Bell,
while 4 percent of royalities and 2
pcrccntof die advertising goes toCarl's
Jr., 4 percent of royalities, 2 percent for
advertising io China Station and 8 pcr-
and is pul into a general advertising
fund and used by the entire Carl's Jr.
chain.
The franchiscsdidn't come without
franchise fees, though.
Food Services paid $35,000 for
Carl's Jr. and S10.000 for Subway.
While the eateries arc doing monster sales, they arc taking business
away from the Country Store and the
Bucket.
Prince said ihc Country Store is doing $3,500 a day in sales, where as last
year die store was doing aboul $3,<XX>
in business.
The Bucket did greai last year but is
back io where it was iwo years ago.
according lo Prince.
He said the Bucket is a
strange kind of beast; some-
limes it docs real well bul
other years u kind of hiher
Carl's Jr., Subway. China
Siaiion and Taco Bell offer
most of the items on the
menus in die restaurants, but
there arc a few iicms missing
off ihc menus ai CSUF
Students don't have the
opportunity logo for seconds
at the restaurant and will never
gel the opportunity for refills, according io Prince.
"They would sum passing
their cups." Pnnce said.
China Station only has a
few items from die menu thai
the Cedar and Barstow store
docs.
Prince said dial's because
they only have a limited
  amount of space and if thev
H.dlY«zp»neh/lNSlt;MT  djd prcparc a„ ,,,<,„ u|shcs
ihcy would need another
kitchen.
These lypcsof fasi-fixxl resiauranis
arc called kiosks, miniature versionsol
ihc big restaurants. According to Prince,
the only items CSUF has to carry are
the original trademarks
"No franchise can dictate what sys
tern we use." Pnnce said,
See EATERIES, page 3
Food court steals sales
By Michael Yparrea
Staff Writer
F.very dollar spent by students at CSUF's Carl's Jr.
is a dime lost at off-campus restaurants
"Look at die parking lot." said Jason Tcng. owner of
China Station in Bulldog Plaza "Il is usually full this
time of day.'"
Al noon each day Taco Bell, Carl "s Jr.. and Subway
swarms with students, cashiers yelling out order numbers, and money exchanging hands at blinding speeds.
Tcng was prepared with the opening of the restaurants on campus and although nol happy, he said the
drop in student clicntlc was normal '"You can sec it's
not just ours, but all the odicr businesses here." Teng
said. "Look al El Rey."
But Steve Ramirez, managcrol F.l Rey. hasn't seen
adrop in die numbcrof his patrons since the opening ol
CSUF's food court.
"School starts and we're usually busy with students
along with other people," said Ramirez behind the bar
looking over the restaurant occupied by 10 diners, 4 of
whom are students.
Students still frequcniTaco Bell on Cedar Avenue,
but not as many as in previous semesters, according to
Chris Roulcs, a siudent. "I come here all die lime and
it used to get packed,"' he said.
Students had many reasons for changing their eating
destinations, convenience being die first.
"I hate leaving then having to come back and fight
for a parking space for half an hour, said Jeff Hall, a
student. "It's jusi easier to walk across campus and cat
at Carl's Jr."
Other students said they would continue going to
their favorite off-campus eateries, but not as often
Susan Allen, a theater arts major, was a patron of El
Rey who now limits her lime eating there to once a
week at the most.
"1 love dieir food but these other restaurants make it
so much easier to jusl go gel something and -still have
time to get some last-minute studying done." she said.
Bul The China Station is not cxpccimg the drop in
student patronage to last long.
"How many Famous Stars can you eat'.'" Teng
asked.
Pricey theater snacks
encourages smuggling
By Michele D'Ambrosio
Staff Writer
In die darkened theater. Pam's stomach growled and
gurgled. She craw led over neighboring knees io dieaislc
and blindly followed die scent of popcorn emanating
from die lobby. Her hand on the remaining dollar in her
pocket, she envisioned a box of treats.
At ihe snack bar, her college student's budget would
face entertainment reality. A buck merely bought her a
trip to the drinking fountain.
The least expensive food item available al mosi motion picture theaters nowadays is $1.25. Thai price can
buy a cusiomer a 2.7 oz. Good and Plenty, which would
cost aboul 60 cents in a grocery siorc. At the grocery
siorc. one could buy four 5 oz. boxes of Red Vines
licorice for die theater snack bar price for one.
If the cusiomer dreams of a medium drink lo wash
down a medium popcorn, he'd pay more for the iwo lhan
die price of matinee ticket.
Sousana Sosa, assistant manager at United Artists'
theater at Villa and Shaw, agreed ihat iheir food is
overpriced, bul said concession sales are a main source
of revenue for theaters.
"A movie like Jurassic Park costs a great deal lo rem.
so die company ines to recoup that costal ihe snack Kir."
said 31-year-old Sousa.
Typically, concession revenue accounts for 10 to 20
percent of theater profits. An opening block buster can
bring abnormally high profits at ihe snack bar
"We sold approximately S6.000 in concessions opening weekend for Jurassic Park." Sousa said.
A sign posted outside the theater reads, "Sorry, no
outside food or drink permitted in the theater." Festival
Regency theater holds a similar policy, though their sien
displays a coke and hamburger widi a slash running
across. But thai doesn't slop most from smuggling in
food. Or al least trying.
Michael Benncit. CSUF student in journalism,iiusv
communications, said" he recently tried to avoid exorbitant concession pnecs by bringing his own drink into a
theater in Bakersfield.
"The manager made us throw them out," said Bennett,
also the morning newsman for KKDJ, 105.9 F.M. "Il
bothered me because ihey charge you S2.75 for a drink
you can gel a convenience store for <W cents. It's ridiculous!"
A frustrated Bennett, who usually pays discount in
matinee ticket prices, said he doesn't expect movie
theater prices lo be as low as a convenience store. If the
prices were more reasonable, he said, he'd buy ihcaiei
refreshments rather than picking up something before a
movie.
"Il's a hassle to ran around before the movie on ,i
college student's budget."
Sousa said customers may complain, but as ihe Kick
of tickets state, the management has ihe right io revoke
admission ami refund ihe purchase price at its discretion
Dr. Robert Perez, CSUF professor of crimim>loe\.
said generally, the owner of private property has the ndn
to control who enters the propern and under whai condi-
"For example, I have die right to allow you into ni\
See SMUGGLING, page 3
CHINA STATION
iilfe*, ivW&£&&M$^h ••«- vVf|*
1768 E. Barstow
(Bulldog Plaza)
1(209)431-4060
Food To Go
*m
BARSTC
W
STADIUM
5
1
CSU. FRMNO
i     5O0"6ff j
■ ■
Jor every purchase over $£
IValid at this location only I
0. Vegetable Plate $3.25
1. Almond Chicke.i Rice Plate $3.25
2. Broccoli Chicken Rice Plate....$3.25
3. Spicy Chicken Rice Plate $3.25
4. Sweet & Sour Pork Rice Plt....$3.25
5. Broccoli Beef Rice Plate $3.50
6. Spicy Beef Plate $3.50
7. Almond Chicken Combo $3.75
8. Broccoli Chicken Combo $3.75
9. Spicy Chicken Combo $3.75
10. Sweet & Sour Pork Combo $3.75
11. Broccoli Beef Combo $3.95
12. Spicy Beef Combo $3.95.
A. Combo (1 egg roll,  3 shrimps) $3.25
B. Egg Roll Combo (2 pes) $2.95
C. Sweet & Sour Chicken Wing Combo $3.25
D. Egg Foo Young Combo (2 pes) $2.95
E. Fried Shrimp Combo (6 pes) $3.85
F. Chicken Teriyaki (w/ rice & veg) $2.95
C. Curry Chicken Rice Plate $3.55
Super Combo : $3.95
1 pc egg roll,  2 pes shrimps,  2 pes chiken wing
2 pes won ton, sweet & sour pork, and chbw
English pah
seafood
@2
mttmrmm\Mst
prices!
Goodbody's Pub
2915*. Maroa 229-2355
INSIGHT
278-3934
Begin your year with... ff/l
January 3-21
Catalogs are now available in the
Division of Extended Education, San Ramon 3,
Room 141, and Kennel Bookstore.
Preregistration Dates: November 22-24        ■***■ |