Complaints Continue Despite Dining Hall Updates

A year after the completion of the extensive Elm Street Dining Hall renovations, complaints around campus about the dining hall have not diminished, arousing the question of whether the protests are rooted in legitimate grievances or simply the result of a “complaint” culture at Exeter.

“Honestly, I think that complaints of the dining hall are just habitual. Students will complain no matter what, and this happens everywhere, not just Exeter. It’s just a trend at schools,” lower Bridgette Han said. “I think that if we really think about it, we have a great dining hall for a school, and we need to be more understanding and grateful for what we have.”

The first major renovation in 40 years, the project included many improvements such as the implementation of new lights, the consolidation of the dining hall design and the refurbishment of its kitchen and dish room.

“Especially during lunch, it takes a very long time to get the main entree.”

But some students are still disappointed in the dining hall offerings and protest that the meals are unappetizing. Some complain that the food is too bland and others claim that it’s too spicy. Other students have felt pampered by the luxuriousness of the dining hall. The dining hall often prepares food that uses a lot of spices or tries to incorporate many cultures into the recipes. Some students do not have the taste for this food or are simply unwilling to try out the unique-looking dishes. These students propose a return to more run-of-the-mill fare. For some, the lack of appealing food has even led to unhealthy behaviors, from spending extra money elsewhere to excessive snacking after skipping meals.

Others have pointed to the growing lines at the dining hall and have called for greater efficiency. “Especially during lunch, it takes a very long time to get the main entree. This causes problems if you need to study or do homework during lunch, and could possibly make you late to class,” prep Bella Alvarez said.

Other Exonians have been more sympathetic toward the dining hall and have come to its defense. Acknowledging the difficulty of feeding a thousand students with varying conditions and tastes, these Exonians believe the community should have greater appreciation for a dining hall that provides not only a wide selection of dining options, but also a social and integral space for students and faculty to congregate and unwind.    

Dining services face many obstacles in attempting to feed and satisfy the large student body.

Director of dining services Ward Ganger said that one of the dining hall’s major focuses is being cognizant of the different allergies and needs of the students. All of the dining services employees are trained in allergen response. Dining services works hard to satisfy the dietary needs of all the students and is receptive to special conditions.

“We get very good feedback on our allergy system. We focus on the top eight allergens at the school. But we also have students who have special needs and have allergies to food items that are not in the top eight, such as pepper or garlic. So they just walk into the kitchen and say, ‘Hi, I’m here.’ And we prepare something specially for them,” Ganger said.

In addition, with the renovations, dining services expanded food choices for students to create greater satisfaction. “We are always looking at increasing our choices and making them healthier and more local,” assistant director of dining services Melinda Leonard said. “We’ve started to offer more variety: soup stations, baked dishes and cycling in pizza twice a week. I think the reception on that has been very popular this year.”

According to Ganger, there’s a lot of behind-the-scenes work that goes into each meal. The Academy works with multiple computerized systems that collect data to ensure that the correct amount of food is made on time.

In addition, the menus are created in collaboration with the Academy’s registered nutritionist, Pamela Stuppy. Most of the dining hall food is made from scratch and bought locally, and this year, dining services has purchased a new computer system to track and minimize food waste. Pre-consumption waste is donated to a local farm. Excess food is sometimes recycled for the next meal or day, though dining services adheres to strict standards to ensure the safety of all their foods. Many students are unaware of those considerations and the work that goes into their meals. 

Considering all the difficulties and work that food services involves, prep Grady Haffey called for more positive views of the dining hall and argued that students should not compare Exeter dining hall foods to homemade or restaurant meals that are customized to individuals instead of an entire student body. “Obviously it’s not a gourmet restaurant, but that’s not what it’s supposed to be. I think the dining hall gets too harshly criticized over its food. I enjoy it’s food and find it very satisfying,” Haffey said.

Furthermore, alumni and community members have noted that the Exeter dining hall is commendable in comparison to other boarding schools’ dining halls and even comparable to the more respected college dining halls. After visiting several boarding schools with her son during his application process, community member Angela Sullivan was especially impressed by Exeter’s dining hall. “Phillips Exeter’s dining halls are excellent. It’s the best one I’ve been to. There was diversity. The food was fantastic. There was a lot to choose from. The taste was great,” Sullivan said.

Recent alumni also report that college food is not much better than Exeter’s. The only major difference, some alums have commented, is that their colleges provide greater diversity and personalization in food choice, which is understandable for larger institutions. “They are pretty similar, but I think my college has more options. Because it has more dining halls, they are able to really personalize the meals,” JB Baker ‘14 said.

The proximity of the dining hall and its warmer and more relaxed social setting is also missed by many. Caroline Lu ’15 said that she used to hang out in the dining hall for hours and just talk with friends or do homework. At her college, however, she mostly goes to the dining hall just to eat. Several students said that they have been satisfied with the renovations. “I love the renovations. It feels brighter, and I like how you don’t have to walk to opposite sides to get what you want,” senior Amelia Stucke said.

Dining services staff have also remarked that feedback from the community since the renovations have become more and more positive. Food service worker Kimberly Tramontozzi said that many students compliment the pizza, the honey roasted peanut butter and the hot chocolate, among others.

Lower Bridgette Han said that students should consider the situation from a more practical point of view. “I honestly think that the dining hall is doing the best they can. They might over-make  some foods one night and add it into a new dish they make for the next. I don’t think we should complain about the reuse of food because it’s certainly better than wasting it,” Han said.

Overall, many have come to the consensus that although there are pitfalls to the dining hall, it deserves much more recognition and appreciation than it receives currently. To many, complaints on campus are currently bordering on histrionic.

Contributions from Christine Baker and Ashley Lin