We're not lovin' it

To McDonald's, or not to McDonald's. That is the question Residential Programs and Services is facing in regards to Read Center. While RPS ponders dining options to replace McDonald's after next school year, we would like to put forth a suggestion: Give strong consideration to looking toward a local establishment.\nThere are a number of fine local dining options that could do an admirable job in the space. From Dagwood's to Encore Café and Bloomingfoods, there are a number of qualified (and delicious) homegrown choices to consider. Aside from providing students with a new alternative to "the same old thing," there are a host of other benefits for the University, the students and the city by turning to a local company.\nTurning to a local establishment will help keep more money in our community. More money circulating in Bloomington can't be a bad thing. Furthermore, having the whole administrative structure locally situated would make the dining service both more responsive to feedback and freer to innovate and experiment with new approaches and new tastes with which to tickle our palate. Having a relatively large customer base from which to serve on campus would let local establishments sell to students from a convenient location at a competitive rate. Turning to a local eatery would also help connect dorm-dwelling freshmen with their new community, giving them a (literal) taste of local life immediately. Finally, turning to a local establishment would take the University a step closer to the community, a goal IU President Herbert outlined as one of his top priorities in his tenure.\nGoing with a local establishment after next year seems to be a win-win proposition to us (unless you're McDonald's, of course). \nDissent\nNewsflash: IU is made up of college students, many of whom eat cold ravioli for breakfast when they have to. Students do not care about local business; they care about the money in their pockets, alcohol and survival. That's a harsh statement, right? Well the facts speak for themselves. \nHow many students travel to Soma or Copper Cup for a cup of Joe versus, oh, let's see, Starbuck's? How much business has the McDonald's-owned Chipotle garnered from ravenous students looking to fill their stomachs with orgies of sour cream and grilled chicken? Why does Bloomington have a Wal-Mart, K-mart, Target and Sears in a town of 70,000? Demand. \nStudents want pleasing things fast, easy and cheap and will do anything to get it. If we could merge a Wal-Mart into the back of Herman B Wells Library or in Ballantine Hall, students would be all for it.\nIU has enough to worry about without trying to help local business owners thrive. What do IU President Adam Herbert and Mayor Mark Kruzan have in common? Power and responsibility. The former to IU, and the latter to Bloomington. Unless the majority of students change their minds, IU should continue giving food to us how we like it -- fast, cheap and dirty.