Just two days after Rose's Chinese Restaurant officially joined the Dining Services' Merchants on Points (MOPS) program, owner Sam Pan announced yesterday that his restaurant has removed itself from MOPS.
Pan said that his restaurant was getting more orders than its small staff could handle, even with the six extra people he hired. "We got too busy, it was taking three hours [per order]," he said. "The customers weren't happy, so we cut down - no points."
He also said the food quality had dropped because orders were often cold by the time they were delivered. "We need a guarantee of good food for the students," he said.
Dining Services Director Patti Lee Klos was unavailable for comment yesterday, and it remains unclear whether the terms of the contract with Tufts' Dining Services allowed Rose's to break off without giving any notice.
The news comes as a disappointment to students across campus, especially those who worked to add Rose's to the MOPS list. Over the last several months, Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senators Joshua Belkin and Ed Schwehm worked closely with Klos on the project. The senators were displeased upon hearing the news.
"I think it was a poor choice, and I'm sure the students think it was a poor
choice as well," Belkin said. "I heard this afternoon through Patti Lee that Rose's has had trouble handling the volume."
He was particularly unhappy with the abruptness of the decision, and said the first two days would naturally prove more busy than usual. "It's not realistic to expect that demand is going to stay at this level," Belkin said.
Students who utilize the Points Plus system expressed their dissatisfaction with the decision. "I knew it was too good to be true," senior Alethea Pieters said.
Lisa Kreutz, a senior, said she was disappointed that the decision limits the options for people on MOPS. "I wish that there were more places to order from," she said.
The senators and Dining Services had worked extensively with Rose's to get the restaurant prepared - both technologically and managerially - to be part of the MOPS program. Yesterday, Schwehm said he was "extremely disappointed" that Rose's would make its decision after just a couple days of participation.
"Either Sam of Roses didn't understand how much their business would increase, or Patti Klos didn't fully get the point across," he said.
Belkin said the problem would be corrected shortly. "Schwehm and myself are committed to get another vendor back on MOPS as soon as possible," he said. "We're going to make sure the students get served and aren't jerked around by quick, poorly made decisions. The student body won a few days ago, and now they've lost."
