267800 Catering - Hot Food

DMU is seeking a well-priced hot food offer that plays a vital role in supporting students on campus, particularly at a time when cost-of-living pressures are having a real impact on daily choices.

The University has therefore taken a deliberate decision to remove the main financial barriers to entry for the operator. By covering fixed costs such as rent, rates, and utilities, and by fully equipping the kitchen, DMU is enabling a food business to trade successfully from day one with very limited capital investment required. The University expects to see this reflected in accessible pricing and menu choice which will result in strong participation during term time.

The typical student demographic on the Leicester campus consists largely of commuter and first-generation students, with a strong sensitivity to price and value. Academic and a core group of professional service staff work on campus throughout the week, with some professional services staff adopting a hybrid approach, with a minimum of two days per week on campus.

In addition to daily service, there is a requirement to cater for large groups of visitors, often as part of key recruitment activities and summer schools. The ability to serve large volumes of visitors in a small timeframe is key. For this, use of vouchers would be required along with a detailed breakdown of charges and an invoice sent to the University at the end of each month.

The hot food offer is located within the Vijay Patel Building, one of the busiest buildings on campus. At time of writing the space is due to undergo refurbishment however opens directly onto a large, integrated 1,000 sqm study and social space, which will include:

Comfortable, informal seating

More traditional sit-up and dine seating

Power for phones and laptops

Dedicated study areas

The dining area is not a separate food court and is fully integrated into this shared study/social environment, designed to drive maximum footfall. By bringing eating, studying, meeting as well as access to power for laptops/phones DMU expects to encourage students and staff to spend more time on campus throughout the day.