A (cheap) taste of Nassau

This experience wasn’t atypical for the seniors. Gibbs and Schlossberg are the co-founders of the new Fine Dining Co-op (FDC), an informal organization of students dedicated to, according to its 48-member Facebook group, “spend[ing] a LOT less money on MUCH tastier food” than that offered by University and eating clubs.

The FDC, which, Gibbs explained, consists of both regular and part-time members, plans two outings each weekend in addition to less formal, spontaneous meals initiated by members throughout the week. So far, its members have eaten at Lahiere’s, PJ’s Pancake House and Nassau Sushi and Bagel and have hosted a picnic with food from Olive’s.

Katie Rodriguez ’11, a part-time member of the FDC, said that the co-op initially began as a joke last spring when her friends — who, like Rodriguez, are now independent — realized how much they had spent on eating club dues. They considered joining one of the existing co-ops on campus, but some preferred eating out to cooking.

“It started as just a small thing with our friends,” Rodriguez said. “We only called it a co-op because we thought it would be funny.”

Jokes aside, Gibbs noted that the money he and his friends had spent on eating club memberships could be used for better food.

“We believed it would be possible to eat out at every meal, with reasonable meal sizes and reasonable dietary completeness, for less money,” Gibbs explained.

While many students have noted the high cost of eating club dues or even meal plans, Gibbs said he was surprised to find out just how much these plans cost per meal.

The Block 95 dining contract, which is the smallest and least expensive dining option available to upperclassmen for the 2009-10 academic year, costs $2,937, or $15.46 per meal without factoring in guest meals. Larger meal plans like the Block 235 plan, which costs $5,127, are a slightly better value, at $10.91 per meal.

Eating clubs require even more cash. According to numbers obtained by The Daily Princetonian last week, Terrace Club is the least expensive eating club, at $6,800. A membership at Tower Club, the most expensive club, costs $8,260.

FDC members, however, have no trouble spending less over the course of the year.

“It involves balancing a more expensive dinner with a cheaper lunch, like Frist or a sandwich place,” Gibbs noted, adding that it’s not too difficult to eat out on a budget.

At the start of the year, the friends made a Facebook group to make it easier to schedule meals and events and to open the FDC to students outside their social circle.

Get the best of the ‘Prince’ delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe now »

“It definitely makes it a more accessible group,” Gibbs said. “I’ve met a lot of people I might not otherwise have met, several friends of friends.”

He added that the FDC is meant to counter the social encumbrances that can plague independents. Most members are seniors who belonged to eating clubs as juniors, but those seniors said they don’t think they’re missing out by switching to the independent lifestyle.

“I think the main thing with eating clubs is that you want to have meals with your friends. All of my close friends are independent, so this made more sense for me,” Rodriguez explained.

“I don’t feel like I’ve lost out in any way by not being in an eating club,” Gibbs added.

Rodriguez noted that the FDC also provides a cultural experience that transcends campus boundaries.

“There’s a lot more variety, not just in terms of food choice but also being able to get off campus and have different scenery,” she explained of the opportunities available to FDC members. “Sometimes it’s nice to get off campus and be someplace where it’s not just students. It’s more like the real world.”

The founders of FDC have not attempted to obtain any sort of official recognition from the University, and they said they aren’t sure whether it will continue after their graduation.

“I think it depends on whether people are interested in continuing,” Gibbs said. “Probably in a few years there will be another group that will come to the same realization.”