Jordan Jones, a sophomore living on campus, has problems budgeting for food. He often tries to put together a snack from on-campus convenience store, Outtakes, between classes, paying as much as $10, but winds up hungry soon after the snack.

Jones said, that his meal plan of $1,600 ran out before the end of last semester, partially because of overpricing at Outtakes.

“I think they exploit students that are stuck on campus into paying more,” he said.

Jones is just one of many St. Edward’s University students who are trying to finance the cost of tuition, fees, housing, and a meal plan. Despite the comparatively-high cost of the items at Outtakes, Jones pays for the convenience.

Outtakes sells items that are staples to any student especially those living on campus – laundry detergent, cough drops, condensed soup, shaving cream, and even Kaopectate. But some of these simple items are priced higher than market-value.

Even the college staple of all college staples, Maruchan Top Ramen, costs $1.07 at Outtakes compared to $0.65 at CVS, $0.36 at Randall’s, or $0.17 at H.E.B.

This means that if a student eats ramen at least three times a week, in an entire 33 week school year, you could save $41.58 buying from CVS, $70.29 buying from Randall’s, and $89.10 buying from H.E.B.

But Outtakes compares its prices to other convenience stores in the area. Outtakes matches prices from Nicki’s Convenience Store and the Shamrock gas station, both located across the street from campus, said Brian Krellenstein, executive chef of Bon Appétit and manager of the Outtakes store.

Bon Appétit General Manager Michael Smith said he understands the higher mark-up prices are a burden for students. The pricing of Outtakes is set by Core-Mark, the owner of Bon Appétit, and certain amenities cost more to stock. Items like cereals, medicines, and other popular snacks like granola bars are highly requested by students, said Krellenstein.

“Students should understand that we have to pay for the convenience,” Krellenstein said.

Because the other stores buy in bulk, they pay less and do not have as high of a suggested mark-up price.

“The suggested mark-up is completely outrageous,” Krellenstein said. “We simply don’t have the buying power as the other bigger stores.”

Outtakes buys in relatively small amounts, meaning they have to split a case of a certain product. A product like cereal, which can come in a case of up to 68, has to be split because the store only needs about a quarter of a case, if that.

Although many of the prices of Outtakes are above market price, officials at Bon Appétit said that they try hard to keep preferred items on the shelves for students. But for some students like Jones, that simply is not enough.

“I understand the convenience, from a marketing and convenience aspect,” Jones said. “But I think it gets to the point where it’s abusive.”