Chartwells Higher Education Dining Services Partners with LevelUp to Provide Mobile Payment App on College Campuses

RYE BROOK, N.Y., April 8, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Chartwells Higher Education Dining Services continues to bring the latest technological innovations to campus dining through a partnership with LevelUp, the leading U.S. mobile technology payment provider. Chartwells piloted LevelUp at Buffalo State in New York and Northeastern's Curry Student Center retail dining venue in Boston, making mealtime ordering quicker and more convenient.

College students traditionally have limited options of paying by cash, credit card or using a meal plan swipe card system to dine at retail venues on campuses. Thanks to LevelUp, students don't have to worry if they forget their cash, coins, or cards. They can rely on their smart device to pay for meals using a mobile payment application.

How LevelUp Works
LevelUp is an easy-to-use electronic payment option which allows students to pay for purchases at certain participating merchants or dining venues using a smart device. The LevelUp app is downloaded and students can register a personal credit card to generate a dedicated QR code. To use LevelUp's mobile payment service, the merchant or retail dining venue must have a scanning device on site. At check-out, the student pulls up the personal QR code on the smart device to initiate the scanning and the payment process. After this quick electronic transaction, a receipt is emailed to the student. LevelUp's website provides an interactive map showing different locations where its mobile payment is accepted on or off campus. Students and parents can also track how much money is being spent at mealtime.

Patti Girardi, Chartwells' Vice President of Marketing and Creative Services, added, "Chartwells chose to pilot the new payment system at Buffalo State and Northeastern because we thought it was a perfect fit for our partners. What's great for Chartwells is that LevelUp can provide analytics about meal purchases, site visits and return visits. This information can be used to gauge which promotions or limited time offers were popular among students and any sales fluctuations at retail locations based on student purchasing behaviors. LevelUp provides a greater opportunity for campus dining operations to focus on guest interaction as well as convenience."

Sara Garfinkle, President of United Students Government at Buffalo State said, "Chartwells is very 'hip' using LevelUp."

About Chartwells Higher Education Dining Services
Chartwells is the recognized leader in foodservice management, hospitality and award winning YouFirst guest service within college and university dining environments throughout academic institutions across the United States. We take tremendous pride in our high standards and dedicated service culture while providing nutritious cuisine that satisfies unique appetites, lifestyles and dietary needs for every guest dining on campus.

Chartwells is committed to practices that honor ethical values, embrace diversity and inclusion, support the environment and value communities through demonstrated leadership, professionalism and new innovations.

Chartwells provides opportunities for personal growth and development while offering rewarding and promising careers in support of the clients, students and campus communities we serve.

For more information about Chartwells, visit our websites at www.EatLearnLive.com, www.DineonCampus.com and social media pages at www.Facebook.com/ChartwellsHigherEd, www.Twitter.com/ChartwellsHE and www.YouTube.com/ChartwellsHigherEd.

SOURCE Chartwells