Wilson College Dining Hall: New and Improved

If you have eaten in Wilson College’s dining hall before the start of the 2015 spring semester, you may have noticed that it was a little outdated. However, due to the hard work of Tim Dawe, Director of Dining Services, major changes have taken place.

Through a series of meetings and armed with an array of opinions from students, Dawe and Wilson came together to figure out what immediate changes needed to be made.

The first change was to remodel the floor. Due to water damage and general wear and tear, the floor was buckled and noisy. Over J-term, the entire floor was redone and the renovation took the  length of winter break to complete.

The second change made was adding variety to the menu. Breakfast now includes fresh cut fruit and waffle makers on Wednesdays. Grilled lunch items are now on a four week rotation. There is a noticeable absence of grilled cheese Fridays, but with the new Panini maker added to Classic Cuts students can have grilled cheese anytime. Finally, dinner includes a grilled option, more kid-friendly choices for the Women with Children, and better vegetarian selections.

The changes to the menu may not seem significant. However, those who have since visited the dining hall have noticed the changes. “Last semester to me the food was disgusting,” said Kirsten Bilger ’18. “Now they have improved and the food has flavor.”

Lastly there was a remodel of the kitchen. The serving bars have been pushed back and provide a more open and inviting space to get food. It clears up the drink area so that the two lines are not merged into one. Being near the grill provides more opportunities for students to interact with staff. The staff is more inviting and it is easier for students  to thank and appreciate them.

These changes are not the last for Wilson’s dining hall. Dawe has plans to make the serving areas in the dining hall more user friendly and to push for longer hours. It is not known when those changes will be in effect but Dawe is striving to make the dining experience at Wilson the best it can possibly be.

If you want to see other things improved or to comment on the new changes please leave a comment card at the table located near the entrance to the dining hall.