The Jolly Scholar recently added three new meal swipe options, despite the fact that the restaurant loses about a dollar per swipe.

Originally, the only meal swipe option available was grilled cheese. Now, students have the option of exchanging a meal swipe for chicken strips, a cheese pizza or a cheese quesadilla. They can also swipe for an appetizer and a drink.

“A lot of people would come for the meal swipe option, and that would put a lot of stress on the grill by only having grilled cheese,” said Matt Vann, owner of the Jolly Scholar.

The restaurant’s contract with the university’s food management company, Bon Appétit, has made it difficult for them to expand meal swipe options. However, Vann wanted to give students more choices and a greater variety of foods to choose from. Bon Appétit reimburses The Jolly Scholar a percentage of the cost of every meal swipe.

“People always want more options,” he said. “We’d love to be a bigger part of that, but currently it’s not possible.”

“Students want us to be a bigger part of the meal plan, and we definitely would love to be a bigger player in the future of meal swipes and meal plan options,” he added.