By Hailey Cylinder/Aggie Insider reporter and Nina Weiland/Aggie Insider Editor
As students return to DelVal for the new semester, Aggie Fresh Co. is introducing several changes to the dining experience. Not all are welcomed.
Students weighed in on some of the biggest changes affecting them, including not being able to serve themselves. Some students have raised concerns about portion sizes and wait times. They question why portions are limited and feel that the restrictions make it harder to get the amount of food they actually want.
Michael Foley, a senior at DelVal, is concerned, adding “they are rationing food.”
In response, Aggie Fresh Co. explained that having a team member at each station allows the dining hall to monitor food levels, prevent menu items from running out, and improve communication between the staff and chefs in the kitchen.
Miranda Tagliamonte, a senior, and “On occasion, there’s no one around to serve food.”
Other changes were embraced. For their second year on campus, Aggie Fresh Co. under Aramark, continues to grow the allergen-free station, True Balance. This has become a favorite for all students, with lines often snaking across the dining hall. Another very appreciated addition from last semester is the ramen station with various add-ins available on the salad bar.
A new and popular change for this year is a switchover to local icy favorite Hershey’s for both ice cream and water ice. Along with the addition of a new baker, the dining hall is offering a wider selection of baked goods and desserts. In their response, they said that having a second baker has allowed them to expand their selection and introduce new items, including whoopie pies, parfaits, dinner rolls, scones, muffins, and more.
The dining hall declined to participate in an in-person interview. Instead, Aramark responded to interview questions through email and provided written statements about the recent changes to the dining hall. According to their response, one of the biggest changes was an overhaul of the main kitchen.
While students may not see these changes directly, the dining hall said the improvements have made food production easier and more efficient for the culinary staff. They also mentioned changes that students can see, including a customizable specialty salad at the salad bar and a new chef-attended deli station.
Still, there are many changes that have gotten students talking. The largest of these is how students are served. At all stations from lunch to dinner, students are no longer allowed to serve themselves, with staff now plating food. While the grill is still self-serve, all food is now wrapped in paper, and fries are served in paper boats.
In response, the dining hall said “It also provides an additional level of food-safety oversight while giving our staff more opportunities to interact directly with students.”
In addition, there have been some significant changes to the salad and sandwich bar this year. Instead of approaching the sandwich bar and making their own sandwich, students are now expected to order custom sandwiches at the “build-your-own” omelet bar using the same order-paper format as breakfast.
The dining hall explained that the deli was moved from self-service to a chef-attended station “so we can provide a better overall experience for students.” The sandwiches are customizable, and the station also offers a daily lunch and dinner special.
Similar to last year, the dining hall has a “light lunch” period from 2:00 to 4:30 p.m. During these hours, some students have criticized the limited variety of food options available.
The dining hall explained that the grill and pizza stations close during light lunch to give the culinary team time to prepare for dinner service.
The dining hall has also changed its to-go container system. Instead of the carabiner trade-in system used in previous years, students must now use the Fill It Forward app to check out reusable containers, with a limit of two containers at a time. According to the dining hall, the partnership with Fill It Forward is intended to better track reusable-container usage and show students the environmental impact of choosing reusable containers. The dining hall also said it has reduced its overall use of single-use cups, bowls, and utensils.
Many students are also concerned with the variety of the food that the dining hall provides day to day.
“I find there to be a lot less food during normal meal times like dinner around 6 pm, when there used to be at the very least somewhat of a variety of things,” said Patrick Flannery, a junior at DelVal.
“I would love to see some more international food!” says Sabine Hatcher, a freshman.
“Where’s the steak, beef, pork, salmon, turkey?” asked Emilia Wysocki, a sophomore at DelVal.
Students have also expressed frustration with the limited variety of fruit available in the dining hall, particularly the frequent use of mixed fruit salads and canned fruit.
When asked how factors such as seasonality, availability, cost, and student preferences influence the fruit and other foods offered, the dining hall said that all of these factors play a role in its menu decisions. They also said they pay close attention to student preferences and plan to offer more varieties of whole fruit in the future. With fall approaching, for example, students can expect to see a greater variety of apples.
“I don’t really come to lunch anymore because there is no variety,” says Ella Shay, a junior
When asked how students can provide feedback to the dining hall, they said students can use the My Dining Feedback program, which is accessible through a link available on each dining table. They also said they value direct feedback from students because it helps them understand what students are looking for in their dining experience and menu options.
The dining hall also plans to launch a new Food Ambassador program this fall, which will provide another way to gather student opinions and create an ongoing dialogue with the campus community.
DelVal students have become increasingly frustrated over the weeks with some of the issues in the dining hall, leading them to start a Change.org petition that, as of September 28th, has 235 signatures.
The dining hall said its goal is to create an experience that continues to evolve based on what students want and need. They encouraged students to provide more feedback and suggestions to help improve the dining experience at Levin and the Pub.
Last year, the dining hall made changes based on student recommendations and appears ready to continue gathering student input this year. A new Food Ambassador Group is being established to create a stronger connection between students and the dining hall and provide another way for students to share their opinions.