AU Dining implemented a new service, called Tapingo, at the start of the fall semester that allows students to order on-campus food options for pickup. Tapingo is a Grubhub-owned business that started in San Francisco in 2011, and all students have to do to use the service is download the app.
The app is designed for college students as a time-saver, allowing students to order food from on-campus dining services, customize orders and pick it up without waiting in line.
After downloading the app to your phone, students can input their email, AUID card information and address. As of November, there are only five on-campus dining options that allow you to use the Tapingo pickup option, including Starbucks, Freshii, Subway, Argo Tea, Elevation Burger and Bleecker Street.
Einstein Bros Bagels, Pi & Fry and Global Fresh are listed in the app as “coming soon.”
Next to every dining option is an estimated time of how long it will take for your order to be ready. Students can use their meal swipes or “dollars,” as listed in the app, to purchase on-campus food.
Beyond on-campus dining options, Grubhub’s ownership of Tapingo enables students to order for delivery from off-campus vendors as well. Delivery is available through the Tapingo app for Tenleytown restaurants like Satay Club, Pizza Boli’s and Beefsteak.
Tapingo reached out to the University to implement the program last year, AU spokesperson Mark Story said, but the school declined since they were “not ready to start the program.”
Story said the biggest challenge for setting up Tapingo was organizing proper space for printing orders and picking up orders for each location.
“Training of all staff members continues to be a key to the success of the program,” Story said in an email to The Eagle.
Jill Dunn, a sophomore, doesn’t use the Tapingo app, but she said her friend “swears by it.” Parker Chace, another sophomore, said his experience with Tapingo has been “nothing but satisfactory.”
“Instead of spending sometimes up to 20 minutes in line, [Tapingo] allows me to efficiently spend my time,” Chace said.
Olivia Goodman, a freshman, said she doesn’t use the Tapingo app because it requires a lot of planning ahead. But she said it’s “probably a good service because you can use it in class to order food.”
New locations will be opening with the Tapingo service at the start of the spring 2019 semester, Story said.
