Dining Services and ARAMARK should more seriously consider opening a dining facility earlier on weekend mornings. Many students, such as those involved with athletic activities, a capella groups or those who enjoy the early morning hours, find the current weekend dining schedule inadequate, because the earliest dining option opens at 10:45 a.m.
Although some changes have been considered to the weekday schedule – a schedule that already fulfills students’ needs – focus should remain on adjusting the weekend hours.
Hillside Caf seems to be the best choice for expanded service hours. Opening Danforth Dining Center requires advanced food preparation, the services of many employees and a greater operating cost.
Hillside, with shorter lines and a different rate structure, offers quick dining for those requiring fast service in the morning. It also offers additional options for those looking to spend declining balance, while still offering a satisfactory number of options for vegetarians and for those on club meal plans.
For earlier parts of the morning, Hillside would represent a significantly more efficient use of funds since it requires a smaller staff size and less food to prepare. Conversely, Danforth has enough food, employees and tables to cater to larger crowds that come later in the morning.
Student demand should be gauged with a survey that provides adequate incentives for participation. Ideally, this questionnaire should focus on the times and on the level of service students would like during the weekend. Therefore, survey results can be better used in making changes to the current schedule.
