On Feb. 5, 63’s, the all-you-can-eat buffet-style dining hall located in the Main Academic Building of Sacred Heart University, announced an immediate change involving their to-go system in a university-wide email.
These changes eliminated disposable to-go boxes from 63’s, and introduced reusable “Ozzi O2Go” containers to the dining hall. These containers are now the only take-out option at 63’s.
According to the university-wide email, Ozzi O2Go containers, described as “washed, sanitized and ready for reuse,” are easy to transport and have eliminated an estimated 25 million single-use disposables from landfills and oceans.
Photo by: Jordan Dorsey’26, staff photographer.
Photo by: Jordan Dorsey’26, staff photographer.
“Ozzi has built a system of over 300 colleges and university campus dining centers to eliminate traditional disposable take-out containers,” said Chartwells Marketing Director Danielle Bahr. “SHU Dining has been considering a partnership with Ozzi for well over the past year. We decided the spring 2024 semester was a great time to start, as the university also began their recycling initiative.”
These changes will help lower the costs that paper products often bring and help eliminate waste.
“These containers not only save trees and reduce emissions, but also help us lower our carbon footprint as we work to become a zero-waste campus,” said Bahr.
When a student wants to get food to-go from 63’s, they will need to pay a one-time charge of $7.95 the first time they pick up an Ozzi O2Go container. Along with the container, students will receive a token that will allow them to get a clean container when they drop the old one off.
“The one-time charge is a nominal fee to pay into a responsible reusable program. It incentivizes and engages students to buy into the program,” said Bahr.
SHU students are beginning to get used to these changes, as this past week was the first time they experienced the new system.
“I think the idea is good, but I think it’s going to be very difficult for kids to have to carry it around, and the fact that we have to pay dining dollars for it is not right,” said sophomore Tom Remmen.
Remmen also said that he frequently uses the to-go option at 63’s, especially when he doesn’t have as much time to eat before a class or a practice.
“I’m definitely going to do it a lot less, which is tough, because I do it a lot,” said Remmen.
“I usually get to-go, but now I won’t, because it’s such an intricate, complicated system,” said sophomore Aidan Connolly. “Last time I was there, this past Tuesday, I realized that they had implemented that, so I just ate there instead.”
Connolly also expressed his concerns about losing the token. If a student lost a token, they would have to pay for a new one. The dining services staff will be accommodating at first as students continue to adjust to the new process.
“Included in the price of the container, a keychain is supplied that secures the token to a bookbag or key chain,” Bahr said. “Knowing this is a new program to SHU we will honor any misplaced or lost tokens within the first couple of weeks.”
Sophomore Jake Hoyt eats at 63’s multiple times a week and has used both the to-go and in-person options in the past but will only eat-in at the dining hall going forward.
“I just feel like it’s way more complicated than they need to make it,” said Hoyt.
For more information on SHU dining services, visit https:// dineoncampus.com/SHU
