TECH STUDENTS CAN EAT IN TOWN BY STAYING ON CAMPUS

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, April 15, 1993                   TAG: 9304150206
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV1   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: MADELYN ROSENBERG and MICHAEL STOWE STAFF WRITERS
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG                                LENGTH: Medium
TECH STUDENTS CAN EAT IN TOWN BY STAYING ON CAMPUS
Virginia Tech's dining halls will be dishing out entrees from local restaurants tonight in an effort to improve relations with the town's eateries.
It's called "Party on the Town," and, as dining events go, it's a big one at Tech. Administrators have taken out ads and put word of the food fest on tables and in residence halls.
"This is the first time we're trying it," said Ed Spencer, director of residential programs. "But if it goes well, we'll probably do it as an annual thing each fall, to show the students what the town has to offer."
Tech is purchasing the food from 11 local restaurants to serve at Shultz and Dietrick dining halls. The restaurant staffs will work side-by-side with the dining hall staff to serve up the fare to several thousand students.
Spencer said his department got the idea for the dining night from Penn State University, which invited their local restaurants into the dining hall last year.
"I think it's a way of showing that we want students to not just eat in our facility, but to take advantage of the restaurants there are in our area," he said. "We're giving them a sampling of what the food is like."
Downtown restaurant owners have been vocal about their concerns on how local eateries can compete with the state. The campus food courts do not have to charge a meals tax; local restaurants do. Privately owned restaurants on campus, like Hardee's and Burger King, do charge sales tax, but they have proximity in their favor.
Chris Kappas, owner of Souvlaki on College Avenue, said he was pleased when Tech asked local restaurants to participate in the program.
Kappas said he gave Tech a huge discount on Greek cuisine, but he hopes it's an investment that will pay off in the future.
"We did this for the exposure," he said. "It's a chance for each restaurant to showcase their food to the students."
Other restaurants participating in the event are: Buddy's, China Inn Restaurant, PK's, London Underground Pub, South Main Cafe, The College Inn, Ipanema Restaurant, Backstreets Pizza & Restaurant, Baskin Robbins Ice Cream and Sub Station II.

by Bhavesh Jinadra by CNB