Aramark refurbishment means cash-free meals for Southampton students

Students at Southampton Institute can buy their food without cash as part of a £400,000 catering refurbishment project run by Aramark.

The refurb includes a new 400-seat restaurant, a Java City coffee lounge, a Zest bar, a Delice de France café and two quick-stop cafés.

Nick Hayter, group manager for the caterer at the 11,000-strong institute, said that 800 more transactions were being made each day, compared with last year. "We are right on the high street, so the battle is to keep the students on campus." He added that offering attractive brands at lower prices helped do this.

Aramark, which renewed its seven-year contract with the institute in July, introduced the cash-free system, called Quick Pay, to improve student loyalty.

It was designed to appeal to parents when students were starting their courses.

"They would pre-load the card with cash, which could be used at any of the 12 Aramark sites throughout the institute," Hayter said.

But he added that offering discounts and offers through the card scheme was making it popular, as well as being a way to help students manage their cash.