Lakeside Dining

After arriving at Piedmont College as a freshman this fall, I was forced to adapt to a new way of life. A vital part in this adaption occurred during the meal time hours. I feel that Chartwells Food Service has done an adequate job making this transition easier for most students. My overall dining experience has been fairly pleasant. However, there are several areas that Chartwells could address in order to live up to their full potential. The overall success of a cafeteria is usually based on its service, quality of food, and hours of operation. Therefore, by taking all of these aspects into consideration it will only translate into student satisfaction and a healthy college environment.

In a collegiate atmosphere, it is important to have reputable employees working for the college cafeteria. The disposition of the employees directly correlates with the satisfaction of the customers. Friendly employees will create a friendly dining experience for students, allowing them to escape from their studies momentarily to enjoy a well prepared meal. The Chartwells food service should be praised for the kindliness of their staff. They should be commended for always having a greeter at the door and an assistant at every station to better serve you.

Along with the quality of the staff, I have also been fairly impressed with the quality of the food. I understand that Chartwells is not a five-star restaurant; therefore, I cannot be too critical of the taste of the food. Even though my taste buds have been generally satisfied, there are instances I view as unacceptable such as undercooked chicken and cold pasta. These are problems I feel that the Chartwell staff should address immediately. After all, the food in the cafeteria is not free. As students, we are entitled to three quality meals a day. This problem could be addressed with minimal disadvantage to the Chartwell staff. They could have someone simply taste the foods prior to the foods presentation. It should not be difficult to prevent further discouraging instances. This aside, the food has been fairly pleasing throughout Chartwells commencement this semester.

One major criticism I have towards Chartwells is their hours of operation. Students are forced to base their eating habits around their daily schedules, and it is not uncommon to see students going to class on an empty stomach. I understand that Chartwells offers take out boxes, but even so, it is an extreme inconvenience for students to rush to the cafeteria for the 10 minutes they have between classes. Many athletic schedules also conflict with the cafeteria’s hours of operation. It is Chartwells job as our food service provider to accommodate the needs of all students, not just those who find it convenient to dine during normal meal time hours.

I understand that Chartwells is under contract with the college, however I feel that slight adaptations could be made to better accommodate Piedmont students. For instance, the cafeteria’s main reasoning for closing between meals is to clean, but certainly the cafeteria is not always packed with students and faculty. The cafeteria could operate without closing if they were to clean during the hours where cafeteria traffic is slow. Marietta College in Ohio is composed of about 1,500 students and Chartwells is able to operate non-stop from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday thru Thursday. Surely the staff at Marietta cleans at some point during those hours. At Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania, three different dining halls operate from 7:30 a.m. to Midnight, Monday thru Thursday. This school of 2,100 students is only slightly bigger than that of Piedmont, yet they find a way to accommodate everyone. The Chartwells staff may argue the inconvenience of providing hot food throughout the day; however, they could consider providing cold snacks such as cereal, yogurt, or fruits. By leaving the doors open between meals, it will provide students who may have missed a meal with the option of healthy snacking throughout the day. Addressing these considerations would be pleasing to many customers, directly resulting in better business for the Chartwells food service.