FAQ
Reusable Take-out
Program in Brooks
Q. Why was this program created?
A. Every day, there are 300 take-out meals from Brooks. That amounts to 63,000 take-out boxes sent to the landfill during each academic year, enough to fill 5 Baldwin dorm rooms and cost a total of $13,500. A reusable take-out program will reduce Allegheny’s landfill waste and keep down costs that must be covered by meal plans, while providing a strong, useful alternative that won’t get soggy and leaky like a disposable box.
Q. How do I get a reusable take-out box?
A. You will be credited 1 take-out box through the card-swipe system at the beginning of the year. The first time you get take-out in Brooks, your card is swiped and you are issued a reusable box. Each time you get takeout after that, you must return a box to receive a clean one.
Q. Where in Brooks do I return my dirty box?
A. You should return the box to the Brooks card swipe station during meal hours as soon as possible. Simply exchange the dirty box for a clean box.
Q. Can I return my box at a time I am not choosing to get take-out or even eat at Brooks?
A. You can swap your dirty box for a clean box anytime during meal hours, even if you are not going to eat at Brooks. During high volume times, we’ll have a lane devoted to take-out transactions.
Q. What happens if I forget my take-out box but still want to get my meal to go?
A. You have three options:
1) Take a walk to get your reusable box and then return to Brooks=zero waste
2) Purchase an additional reusable take-out container for $3 using cash, Munch or Gator Cash.
3) Purchase a compostable take-out container for $0.50 using cash, Munch or Gator Cash.
Q. What if a visitor or student without a meal plan visits Brooks for take-out?
A. We will have a limited supply of disposable take-out containers available for guests or those without a meal plan.
Q. What happens if I lose a take-out box?
A. If you lose your take-out box, in order to get take-out in the future, you may purchase a replacement box for $3, using cash, Munch or Gator Cash. We’d like to keep the program free for all students, but must ask that students take responsibility for lost boxes so we can fund replacements.
Q. What happens if I break my take-out box?
A. If your box breaks, please still return the box to the Brooks card-swipe station like normal. If the box appears to have broken due to normal wear and tear (worn out hinge or latch) or is cracked due to an accidental drop, we’ll replace it at no cost to you. However if you test the strength of the box with your car tire or melt it in your microwave or oven, we’ll ask you to replace the box at a cost of $3, using cash, Munch or Gator Cash. Do not reheat food in the reusable take-out box.
Q. Can I wash my own take-out box rather than turning it in after each use?
A. For a number of reasons, we ask that you do not clean your own box and bring it back. Cleaning boxes in dorm bathrooms could create a housekeeping and plumbing nightmare. When’s the last time you dealt with a mac ‘n’ cheese clogged drain? Parkhurst also prefers to wash the boxes so the industrial dishwasher can be sure to remove all food, while also sterilizing the box for its next use. If you bring a self-cleaned box to Brooks, you will be asked to turn it in for a trip through the dishwasher. You’ll be provided with a clean box in return.
Q. If I already have a green clamshell take-out box, can I use that rather than get a new one?
A. If you have a take-out container from previous years that you’ve personalized and want to keep, please don’t bring it to Brooks. Simply use the credited box instead. Wondering why? See the question above.
Q. Can I bring my own container to use, specifically one that is not a green box like those used for the program?
A. You’ll always be approved to get take-out in Brooks while using the green reusable take-out box provided by this program. However, Brooks employees reserve the right to turn you away if you attempt to bring an unofficial take-out container into the dining hall. If it can hold more than one meal’s worth of food, it will be particularly frowned upon.
Q. What about cups and utensils?
A. A disposable take-out cup and utensils will still be available for now. However, you are also encouraged to bring your own cup/bottle and silverware. You will retain ownership of and responsibility for cleaning your own cup/bottle and silverware.
Q. What do I do with my reusable take-out box at the end of the year?
A. In this initial year, we will not require students to return the boxes at the end of the year. Since the program is new, we want to monitor the wear and tear of the boxes to determine how many years’ use we can get out of them. At the end of the academic year, the reusable box is yours to keep. Use it at restaurants over the summer for extra sustainability cred. We’ll have a new box available for you at the beginning of the next academic year.
Q. Why doesn’t McKinley’s have a mandatory reusable take-out box program, too?
A. Currently, McKinley’s does not have the dishwashing capacity to support this program. However, we’ll explore the possibility of modifications to allow this program in the future.
Q. Can I use my reusable take-out box voluntarily in McKinley’s?
A. Yes, but only if you wash it yourself without causing a clogged or dirty sink. Simply take your container to the food station of your choice and ask that it be used in place of disposables.
Have other questions?
814.332.2862