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In these economically difficult times, students are very careful with their spending. According to a survey we conducted students are likely to cut their food expenses first before anything. That’s where gakushoku comes in handy. Gakushoku is similar to a cafeteria. It is an essential service for college students, because it offers decent meals at affordable prices. It also offers a comfortable atmosphere for students to sit and talk with their friends. Gakushoku styles and services vary considerably by the location of the institution as well as the restaurants and convenience stores in the institution’s vicinity.
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Institutions in urban areas have many options such as convenience stores, ramen and beef bowl shops, fast food restaurants and chain restaurants that are close to campus. These options are competitive headaches for gakushoku. These institutions must source catering services on campus at inexpensive prices that are well affordable for their students. Examples of their menus are set menus that include an entrè, soup, rice, and pickled vegetables at a price of $4.00. A bowl of ramen will be $4.50 and a dish of curry rice will be $2.60. Tea and water are usually offered for free, but students can purchase canned or bottled drinks from the school convenience store or vending machines.
Institutions in rural areas don’t have too many options outside of campus, which makes on-campus catering services extremely important to students. Rural institutions have much more sophisticated catering services with greater selections than urban institutions. Some campuses contract space to restaurant businesses such as beef bowl operations, noodle shops, McDonalds and Starbucks. Our campus is located in the center of Tokyo and it has three gakushoku. Each caterer provides different styles. One caterer serves Japanese cuisine. A second caterer offers western cuisine such as spaghetti, pilaf, and sandwiches. There is also a cafe that serves coffee, tea and light meals. Apart from gakushoku, there is a campus restaurant called Restaurant Ivy. We thought you might like to know which menus are the most popular.
#1 Japanese fried pork rice bowl ($3.50)
#2 Japanese fried chicken rice bowl ($4.50)
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The major reason that these menus are popular is that they are the least inexpensive meals. Daily specials are popular among the female students. According to Mr. Hirai, president of the catering service provider at Rikkyo University, “we try our best to offer students delicious and nutritious dishes at affordable prices.” Gakushoku is always on the students’ side even during these economic downturns. There are no other places where students can eat at affordable prices of $3.00 to $4.00.
When you pay a visit to Japan, it might be a good idea to dine and experience gakushoku.
April 22, 2009
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Written by Shoko Hirata (Junior)
Photographs by Yusuke Koizumi (Junior)
College of Business, Rikkyo University (Tokyo)
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