Taco Bell Denies Student Discount
Sean Christner
Issue date: 11/11/09 Section: News
It's one of the most popular off-campus restaurants in Prescott. At any given time of the day, it is almost guaranteed that students from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University will be there. In fact, many upperclassmen that do not pay for a meal plan have diets consisting mostly of chalupas and burritos.
Before the new Taco Bell opened up next to Fry's, the branch across the street from the hospital offered Eagle Card holders a 10 percent discount. However, when the new branch opened up in the spring, there was no reason for students to drive all the way to Willow Creek and Iron Springs for a taco. With that, the old Taco Bell ended their discount, with the promise that the new Taco Bell would adopt their discount.
Unfortunately, the new Taco Bell never offered the discount, forcing students to pay full price for a meal. However, on Sunday, Oct. 25, Taco Bell decided to offer a trial discount. After 4 p.m., they offered a 10 percent discount to students. If enough of a profit was made, the discount would become permanent.
On that night, students from ERAU flooded the local Taco Bell in hopes of earning a new discount. After some confusion in the early hours of the discount time, students were getting full meals at 90 percent of the original price. Up until closing time, students were crowding the restaurant to get their discounted burritos.
At the end of the night, it seemed the trial was a successful one, just by the sheer number of students that had come for the discount. But, even with things working out with the customers, behind the scenes, things were not level. On Tuesday of that week, it had become apparent that no such discount would come to fruition, with items still at full price for ERAU students, and with the store's general manager trying to find the employee responsible for the trial discount.
Though it is unknown what will become of the manager who proceeded with the unauthorized discount, one thing is certain: a discount for ERAU students remains a remote possibility. This is not to say, however, that such an idea is impossible. Taco Bell has already been engaged in talks with the school in possibly offering such a discount and making it possible to pay for tacos with Eagle Cards. It seems such talks have been fruitless thus far, but at least the ideas have been suggested.
Before the new Taco Bell opened up next to Fry's, the branch across the street from the hospital offered Eagle Card holders a 10 percent discount. However, when the new branch opened up in the spring, there was no reason for students to drive all the way to Willow Creek and Iron Springs for a taco. With that, the old Taco Bell ended their discount, with the promise that the new Taco Bell would adopt their discount.
Unfortunately, the new Taco Bell never offered the discount, forcing students to pay full price for a meal. However, on Sunday, Oct. 25, Taco Bell decided to offer a trial discount. After 4 p.m., they offered a 10 percent discount to students. If enough of a profit was made, the discount would become permanent.
On that night, students from ERAU flooded the local Taco Bell in hopes of earning a new discount. After some confusion in the early hours of the discount time, students were getting full meals at 90 percent of the original price. Up until closing time, students were crowding the restaurant to get their discounted burritos.
At the end of the night, it seemed the trial was a successful one, just by the sheer number of students that had come for the discount. But, even with things working out with the customers, behind the scenes, things were not level. On Tuesday of that week, it had become apparent that no such discount would come to fruition, with items still at full price for ERAU students, and with the store's general manager trying to find the employee responsible for the trial discount.
Though it is unknown what will become of the manager who proceeded with the unauthorized discount, one thing is certain: a discount for ERAU students remains a remote possibility. This is not to say, however, that such an idea is impossible. Taco Bell has already been engaged in talks with the school in possibly offering such a discount and making it possible to pay for tacos with Eagle Cards. It seems such talks have been fruitless thus far, but at least the ideas have been suggested.
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