BEFORE beginning, I want to state very clearly that this is not a column about food quality. I would simply like to recount a meal I had at the Newcomb To-Go Room, as it is indicative of the typical experience with ARAMARK Dining Services at Newcomb Dining Hall. Observatory Hill and Runk Hall Dining Rooms can be hit or miss - we can accept that. Honestly, they are college dining halls - it is not like you are going to a nice restaurant or anything.
That being said, eating at Newcomb Dining Hall is like going to the Department of Motor Vehicles office: You walk in expecting an awful experience. Despite your predisposition, everything goes fine until you encounter "that person." Unfortunately, "that person" almost always turns out to be the one who actually issues your license or, in this case, controls your portions.
The current setup of Newcomb Dining Hall is a train wreck, but given all the construction going on it is acceptable - inconvenient, but definitely acceptable. One of the new features is the separate To-Go Room. Again, this change is not really negative, just different. The problem I encountered, however, arose when I went to get some pulled pork barbecue from the To-Go Room.
We all know the layout of the to-go boxes: two small sections, one big one. The lady serving me proceeded to fill one of the small parts about half way and then sent me on my way, leaving the entirety of the main section and one of the side pockets empty. I asked her for some more and received a death stare that would make Jason Alexander cry and flee in terror. She then barely added more to my paltry lump of food, still leaving more than three-fourths of the container empty, and sent me on my way again. I asked for a piece of pizza at this point to supplement my meal, then received another death glare, and after a solid ten-second pause she dropped a piece of cheese pizza in my container.
Many would argue that I should just give up dining hall food. The fact is that a lot of people cannot do this, and for many of us it is still very convenient. The problem of serving sizes is a constant, simple one. I understand University Dining does not want people wasting food, but this instance was on another level and has happened more times to more people than it ever should. Besides, at this level it starts to just be mean-spirited: I should not feel like I am inconveniencing someone when I go to get food from a dining hall.\nSo what is really wrong with this scenario? Let us break down the average meal plan which is required of first years and students in certain residential colleges. For a "Plus" meal plan, the cost is $2,045. If one gets a "semester" meal plan, prices start at $750 and rises to $1150. When you assume the most cost-efficient eating schedules - even accounting for Plus Dollars - each student is paying roughly between $11 and $13 a meal.
I do not complain about quality, the negative dispositions of many who work at the dining hall or how long it takes to eat there. I can deal with it, and frankly most people simply need to accept - and I believe most do - that it is hard to give a high-quality dining experience to every individual. Most of us just deal with it because there are limitations to a dining system that has to cater to thousands of students multiple times a day. At the end of the day, though, if I want my to-go box at least partially filled, then I should get it partially filled. I am paying more than $10 per meal and expect to be fed.
Is that entitlement? Is that being a selfish college student? I do not think so. At more than $10 a meal, I should walk away at least somewhat satiated, not feeling like I am a terrible person while still being hungry.
Greg Tilton is a fourth-year College student.
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