Understanding the Effects of Food Delivery at Deerfield Academy and the Broader Community

Every night, as campus begins to quiet down, Deerfield Academy’s Nouri-Shed, the structure specifically commissioned in 2023 for food delivery, remains a hotspot for delivery drivers and hungry students. Most evenings, at least one of the Nouri-Shed’s shelves is filled with orders from restaurants such as McDonalds, Thai Blue Ginger, or Dunkin’ Donuts. Delivery apps like Uber Eats and DoorDash generate extra business for local stores and restaurants.

From group-Dashing to proctor feeds, food delivery is something many boarding students only do while living away from home. Photography Editor of the Scroll Albert Yuk ’26 described the difference between the surplus of restaurants surrounding his home and the isolation of rural Massachusetts. “Sometimes at Deerfield it just feels like the quality of the food [at the Dining Hall] is not there,” Yuk said.

Sophie Petronzio ’25 mentioned that she would like more options for students who don’t want to eat in the Dining Hall. “I wish there was more availability for students at Deerfield to get off campus for a meal every once in a while,” she said. “If there was a shuttle on Wednesdays into Greenfield, I think people would order a lot less.”

Additionally, students use delivery for convenience. “My food delivery habits came from the winter time when it was really cold and sit-downs weren’t required,” said Aeris Chang ’26. “For me, it was just the long distance from Poc[umtuck] to the Dining Hall that made me want to order and bring the food to my room so I could continue working.”

However, delivery services allow local businesses to gain traction from customers who would not normally come in person. Co-Owner and Chief Operating Officer of Wild Roots Eatery Luke Eriksen said, “In the winter months, when the weather is really bad, we can see up to 50% go to delivery, and on average 25%–30% of our business in Greenfield comes from DoorDash orders.”

Despite the convenience of delivery, students find issues in financial aspects of the service. Jennifer Luiru ’25 said, “As a proctor I have to order straight out of my own debit card which is why I am not able to tip as much. The problem is that I am getting reimbursed [by the Academy] in cash, and in my day-to-day life I don’t really use cash.”

Tipping culture is a huge part of the delivery industry, as tips make up a large portion of delivery drivers’ income. Eriksen explained some of the problems with the current delivery system, saying, “Our team members don’t get any tips from Doordash, only the driver gets tips, and it’s really frustrating for our staff, as tips are such an important facet of the service industry.”

Delivery services also take a large percentage of revenue (a Washington Post article found that Doordash takes an average commission of 18%) from businesses, forcing local businesses specifically to increase prices. “We have to be really mindful of prices, so you’ll find that our items are really expensive on Doordash than they are when ordering online or in-store for pickup,” Eriksen said.

The ability of chain restaurants such as McDonalds or Dunkin to keep their delivery prices low is one of the reasons they are popular choices for DoorDash orders. Chang believes there is another reason behind this phenomenon, saying, “I think people tend to order from mainstream restaurants and chains because there is more credibility.”

Chang also challenged Deerfield students to stop ordering from mainstream chains. She said, “I don’t think it would be as bad as people think it would be. Number one, it would support local businesses, and number two, the local food around here is genuinely really good.”

Yuk, a large proponent of group-Dashing, a process in which friends put in large group orders to avoid high delivery fees, explained how he perceives the effects delivery services have on the Deerfield community. He said, “I think it strengthens small bubbles among friends, but not being at the Dining Hall takes away from the broader Deerfield community that the school strives for.”

Eriksen explained the effect of delivery services on the Pioneer Valley community, saying, “I think communities evolve and shape into different forms as civilization moves forward. Certainly, the hanging out at the coffee shop has maybe dissipated, but I have to say those people still tend to come in the doors.” He added, “I don’t really think that it has broken the community at all. I think, rather, it has shifted the community.”