Proceedings of the 2023 5th International Conference on Economic Management and Cultural Industry (ICEMCI 2023)

Optimizing University Dining Hall Profitability During Inflation: A Case Study of UW-Madison

Authors
Qisheng Su1, *
1University of Wisconsin Madison, 702 W Johnson St, Suite 1101, Madison, 53715, WI, USA
*Corresponding author.
Corresponding Author
Qisheng Su
Available Online 14 February 2024.
DOI
10.2991/978-94-6463-368-9_54How to use a DOI?
Keywords
University Dining Optimization; Linear Programming; Mixed-Integer Linear Program
Abstract

Facing rising operational costs and the need to balance student satisfaction, university dining halls are under the challenge of optimizing their meal plans. Existing approaches commonly rely on fixed meal plans with limited choices and suppliers, leading to potential student dissatisfaction. However, such methods often suffer from the trade-off between supply and demand, potentially exacerbating conflicts and diminishing student satisfaction. This paper proposes an innovative approach that leverages an optimization model to adjust portion sizes and caloric compositions dynamically. The methodology involves mathematical modeling, allowing for precise adjustments in portion sizes and food composition. This dynamic approach offers the potential to improve both cost-effectiveness and student satisfaction. Validation of the model’s performance demonstrates its ability to resolve institutional contradictions and enhance overall satisfaction, offering substantial potential value for university dining operations. Future improvements to the model could explore incorporating real-time market data, improving sensitivity analysis, and considering external factors such as student feedback and competitor pricing, further refining its ability to navigate economic uncertainty and optimize dining hall profitability.

Copyright
© 2024 The Author(s)
Open Access
Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

Download article (PDF)

Volume Title
Proceedings of the 2023 5th International Conference on Economic Management and Cultural Industry (ICEMCI 2023)
Series
Advances in Economics, Business and Management Research
Publication Date
14 February 2024
ISBN
10.2991/978-94-6463-368-9_54
ISSN
2352-5428
DOI
10.2991/978-94-6463-368-9_54How to use a DOI?
Copyright
© 2024 The Author(s)
Open Access
Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

Cite this article

TY  - CONF
AU  - Qisheng Su
PY  - 2024
DA  - 2024/02/14
TI  - Optimizing University Dining Hall Profitability During Inflation: A Case Study of UW-Madison
BT  - Proceedings of the 2023 5th International Conference on Economic Management and Cultural Industry (ICEMCI 2023)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 466
EP  - 473
SN  - 2352-5428
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-94-6463-368-9_54
DO  - 10.2991/978-94-6463-368-9_54
ID  - Su2024
ER  -