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UMD to offer free beverages with use of reusable cup

Mike Buzalka, Executive Features Editor

September 2, 2015

1 Min Read
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Starting this fall, all dining plan participants at the University of Maryland-College Park (UMD) will be able to get free beverages in any dining hall or campus c-store if they use the reusable FreeFills cup that is being provided to all students with resident dining plans, potentially more than 8,000 in all.

The free drinks program includes all fountain beverages as well as water, tea or coffee, according to the school’s Diamondback campus paper. In addition to dining halls and c-stores, students can use them at the Terps Heart the Tap water bottle-filling stations scattered across campus. Absent the FreeFills cup, students can still get a 20 cent discount on all beverages if they provide their own reusable cup or mug.

“We are excited to give dining plan members this great perk,” said Colleen Wright Riva, director of dining services in announcing the program. “We created the FreeFill program to welcome students into the University of Maryland family and reinforce campus sustainability values.”

UMD’s Dining Services estimates that if every student with the cup uses it just twice a week this semester, it will save about 250,000 paper cups.

Contact Mike Buzalka at [email protected]

About the Author

Mike Buzalka

Executive Features Editor, Food Management

Mike Buzalka is executive features editor for Food Management and contributing editor to Restaurant Hospitality, Supermarket News and Nation’s Restaurant News. On Food Management, Mike has lead responsibility for compiling the annual Top 50 Contract Management Companies as well as the K-12, College, Hospital and Senior Dining Power Players listings. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English Literature from John Carroll University. Before joining Food Management in 1998, he served as for eight years as assistant editor and then editor of Foodservice Distributor magazine. Mike’s personal interests range from local sports such as the Cleveland Indians and Browns to classic and modern literature, history and politics.

Mike Buzalka’s areas of expertise include operations, innovation and technology topics in onsite foodservice industry markets like K-12 Schools, Higher Education, Healthcare and Business & Industry.

Mike Buzalka’s experience:

Executive Features Editor, Food Management magazine (2010-present)

Contributing Editor, Restaurant Hospitality, Supermarket News and Nation’s Restaurant News (2016-present)

Associate Editor, Food Management magazine (1998-2010)

Editor, Foodservice Distributor magazine (1997-1998)

Assistant Editor, Foodservice Distributor magazine (1989-1997)

 

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