Last week, on February 22, Newrest officially launched a new mobile food ordering platform for the campus cafeteria, affectionately known as the “Cafet.” As one of the two campus catering companies, Newrest plays an important role in nourishing students who reside on campus, but students often lack time between their classes and extracurricular obligations to order and collect their food. Connect’Eat, the newly launched platform, allows students to now order food and drinks from Cafet online, pick them up at a designated time, and cut through the wait line. Students can pay with their Cash Wallet when they pick up their food or immediately by bank card. By taking advantage of a previously unused second cash register at the Cafet, students can head straight for the second register without waiting to order.
The Student Government Association (SGA) initially asked Newrest for a mobile ordering service after student complaints of long lines and wait times for food. The new platform, which was designed and is maintained by Newrest, may decrease congestion within the Cafet, which will concurrently promote Covid-19 social distancing measures while decreasing wait times. Currently, Connect’Eat is available only in French.