Answer to Question 1
After soliciting ideas, consider suggesting the following options in class discussion:
Offering a single item dollar menu, posted against a higher value bundled meal (much as the quickservice chains do).
Offering a limited dollar menu, but with items that are disabled in contrast to regular offerings (e.g., hamburgers without cheese, an obviously less attractive bun, without sauce or tomato/onion/ lettuce add-ons)
Offering the dollar menu only at a location that is less convenient than most, and which already has less traffic than desired
Offering a dollar menu at select location(s) but only at certain times of day, when traffic is low because peak times are over.
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each strategy.
Answer to Question 2
After soliciting class ideas, consider polling the students on their view of these additional arguments:
that the meal plan guarantees that for a given price, the student will be given nutritious wholesome meal options throughout the whole semester, with no parental worries that they will run out of meal money.
the suggestion that the meal plan offers a better value than what the student could obtain elsewhere
simply stating the college policy that student who live on campus and participate in campus resident life benefit from joining other resident students in a communal dining situation.
pointing out that since resident halls do not have cooking facilities, it is impossible for the school to have a reasonable assurance that resident students will have adequate nutrition to take full advantage of educational programs.