University officials said they are investigating allegations by T.G.I. Friday’s managers that GW owes the 2100 Pennsylvania Ave. restaurant at least $7,000 from outstanding Debit Dollar transactions.
The restaurant is still listed as an “off-campus” partner for Debit Dollars on the GWorld Web site, but a Friday’s official said he stopped accepting Debit Dollars because the University has yet to pay for transactions dating back to last semester.
“The University owes me too much money to keeping accepting Debit Dollars,” said John Faison, general manager of T.G.I. Friday’s. “It is a real shame because, you know, students like to come here. I want to do business with GW and GW students, but I am scared.”
Faison said the restaurant’s Debit Dollar machine, which scans GWorld cards, broke at the end of last semester, prompting the restaurant to write down GWorld card numbers and names in lieu of using the machine.
“Our machine went down and no one came to fix it,” Faison said.
He said the restaurant has not been paid for bills charged to the Debit Dollar accounts after the machine broke.
Ayodele McClenney, a senior project manager in the Office of Auxiliary Services, said the University is “looking into the situation,” but declined to comment on the specific allegations.
Students said they are disappointed that Debit Dollars are no longer accepted at the popular campus eatery.
“I have been going there since freshman year,” senior Richard Martin said. “It stinks that they won’t accept Debit (Dollars) anymore, because it makes things easier. But I still go there. It is just inconvenient.”
Faison lamented the financial loss that has resulted from the decision to stop taking Debit Dollars.
“Kids love to come here, they love the atmosphere and they like that it is on campus,” Faison said. “I have lost a lot of my clientele, which adds up to about $2,200 per week (in lost business).”
Students said the Debit Dollar arrangement with T.G.I. Friday’s was appealing.
“I know a lot of people who went there because they accepted Debit,” junior Simon Rothblatt said. “Friday’s will lose a lot of business.”
