2. A marketing shift
At Boston College in Chestnut Hill, Mass., the dining team shifts its marketing approach during Lent to make sure students know which options are available to them at each dining location. “We have a lot of vegetarians on campus already so we always have [meatless] offerings, but what we do is we advertise them in a different way,” says Megan O’Neill, associate director of restaurant operations. “We actually put out signage that says ‘Lenten options,’ and we tell customers what they can get at the different locations.”
Villanova University in Villanova, Pa., also switches up its marketing during Lent, creating a specific webpage just for the season. On that site, students can find out when and where Lent-friendly meals such as haddock strips, baked tofu tacos and black bean taquitos are being offered on campus.