Service with a star: campus dining must cater to tastes, concerns, and innovations to ensure that students are getting the most out of the programs. These seven institutions are having success in bringing students to the table

University Business, August, 2007 by Michele Herrmann

COLLEGE DINING SERVICES HAVE A LOT in common with incoming freshmen: They are starting over, changing looks, taking up social concerns, or simply broadening taste buds. To be in tune with the Millennial generation, dining services have been making changes in when, where, why, and especially how they serve food. They are saying adieu to meals made in secret, assembly-line serving, and the practice of closing up early.

The following higher ed institutions exemplify these trends and show how paying attention to the details of dining can result in greater usage of campus dining facilities.

Customer Satisfaction: Ohio Wesleyan University

When Ohio Wesleyan University premiered the Pulse on Dining program from Chartwells in its Smith Dining Hall in April 2007, attendance in the student cafeteria nearly tripled--from 630 customers throughout one period last year, to more than 1,900 this time around. "To say that it was a success on campus is an understatement," says Gene Castelli, resident district manager for Chartwells.

Developed under the guidance of Millennial generation authors and experts William Strauss and Neil Howe, Pulse on Dining focuses on fresh food, healthy options, and top-notch customer service via interactive dining facilities. It's known as POD for short.

An all-you-can-eat facility and one of OWU's 11 on-campus dining locations, Smith underwent a $1 million renovation to be transformed from its former appearance, which Castelli refers to as "outdated" and "tired." He notes, "It was a top to bottom renovation." Now Smith offers a cafe-like setting with couches and chairs for comfortable seating and plasma TVs in order to create a social atmosphere.

Along with pizzas, a brick stone oven has been cooking a series of individual casseroles and pastas, such as macaroni and cheese with smoked chicken. "We do the same philosophy with each station," says Castelli, noting that rotating stations make students "literally have to shop with their eyes, come around to each station." Castelli is also excited about My Pantry, a feature reminiscent of a home kitchen. A chef makes a complete meal each meal period, instructing students on how to make the dishes for themselves. Counter seating lets students sit and chat with the chef while eating.

And with an island station, students can make their own meals, being able to pull edibles from a refrigerator or a kitchen cabinet like they may do at home. Or, if they prefer, they can ask a chef to prepare a meal instead.

In October 2006, OWU opened its Cafe 1842, a 30-seat sitdown restaurant where students could order fresh pasta dishes, subs, and salads from servers. The decor highlights the university's history. There's a wall of pictures of each president of the university since its inception in 1842. One wall is dedicated to sports, with a section on Branch Rickey, an alumnus and the man responsible for bringing Jackie Robinson into Major League Baseball.

Keeping Up with the Times: Lehigh University (Pa.)

Two of Lehigh University's student dining facilities, the Cort at Lower UC and Rathbone Dining Hall, were renovated to keep up with current college dining trends, specifically focusing on atmosphere and popular cuisines.

Cort's renovation, completed in July 2006, aims to reflect a comfortable atmosphere, where students can hang out with friends or come to study, says Unit Marketing Specialist Jodie L. Stancato. "It's less grabbing a cafeteria tray, getting in line, and going through the motions. It's more experience dining."

One-stop food stations feature "Classics," which offers favorites that will remind students of Mom's recipes, salads, desserts, breakfast favorites, deli meals, and grill items. And at Center Cort, a centrally located action station, students can look on as a chef whips up meals on the spot, such as a shrimp and vegetable stir-fry. And every Tuesday evening, Cort presents "A La Cuisine," a program where guests have the option to purchase a specialty menu item using their meal plan and flex dollars.

The Cort project won an award from the American Institute of Architects' Eastern Pennsylvania chapter in 2006 for institutional renovation. Since the renovation, Stancato estimates that 200 more students come in for lunch at the Cort, while an extra 300 to 400 come for dinner.

Rathbone, meanwhile, opened with a new look in the spring of 2006. It's the focal point for Sodexho's Balance Mind, Body, and Soul nutrition program, which features a Balance station offering healthy options such as vegan, vegetarian, and low fat.

Other Lehigh facilities include an all-organic beverage station inside Linderman Library; it also offers treats from the Lehigh Bakeshop. Lehigh's Food Court, located at University Center, includes the retail facilities Cyclone Salads, Mein Bowl, Salsa Rico, Ikigaii Sushi, and Chick-fil-A. It also contains Smart Market, a Sodexho grab-and-go meal concept, along with Pandini's, owned by the Retail Brand Group, a Sodexho partner. The center also has a Baker's Junction with Starbucks beverages and Lehigh Bakeshop goods.