As we dive into the new fall semester, returners and freshmen alike have much to look forward to–from seeing old friends again to taking new and exciting classes. While some may be less enthusiastic about the prospect of eating the food provided on campus once more, I’m here to tell you there will be more and improved options provided this year–both at Chick-fil-A and SNU Dining!
Chick-fil-A hours will remain the same, with lunch being provided from 10:30-4:59 pm, and dinner being provided from 5:00-10:00 pm. However, beginning this semester, a cool wrap and cobb salad will now be included with a student’s meal swipe, allowing students the opportunity to expand their choices for lunch and dinner without using up their flex money within the first few weeks of school.
While most students are thrilled about this expansion, very little know about the conversations that went into making this a possibility. Dr. Mike Redwine, Vice President of SNU, credits this change to Katy Bradley, Dean of Students, who has advocated for the students’ requests to provide healthier options, as well as a greater variety to the menu. Dr. Redwine comments that when Chick-fil-A started last year, “it was supposed to be that you had one option: a chicken sandwich….before we opened, we were able to talk to Sodexo about expanding to four options. Later on in the year, we were able to add the spicy chicken sandwich.” Dr. Redwine goes on to explain that last spring, he, Katy Bradley, as well as Dwayne Drake, the executive chef of SNU dining, were meeting with other directors about adding healthier options to Chick-fil-A’s menu. “We were trying to choose things that fit the price point of what the original exchange was (the sandwich deal),” Dr. Redwine continues. “We were really pleased that Sodexo allowed it.”
What a lot of students don’t realize is that it is very intensive for the Chick-fil-A employees to make additional items such as salads, while they are able to throw together chicken sandwiches fairly quickly. “Part of it was making sure they could execute it with 1000 people in line.” Dr. Redwine states, further elaborating on the complexity of this new expansion. “If we offered everything right away, they wouldn’t have been able to keep up and it was still hard as we saw within the first few weeks. As they got more experience, we were able to add more options.”
Sarah Dodd, a senior history major, shares her enthusiasm for this expansion of healthier items. “I am so excited for the expanded meal swap options. I was complaining all last year that we didn’t have cool wraps or salads and was hoping that they would add one of them this year-–and so were a lot of my friends—and they added both!” She continued her excitement stating that she is grateful to be able to “substitute a fruit cup for fries without flexing the whole meal,” another small change that has been enacted.
MaKayla (MaK) Wilkerson, a sophomore mass communication major, shares in this sentiment, stating, “As someone who personally has a severe food allergy and can’t eat red meat, I can’t eat at the cafe half of the time due to cross-contamination. Expanding Chick-fil-A options opens up my variation and opportunities to eat more downstairs….and also allows me to get veggies without having to use my flex money.”
Impressive changes are not only occurring in the basement of the commons but also in SNU dining, another request that has been heard by the students of SNU. Starting August 21st, breakfast at SNU will be served from 7:30-10:30 am, lunch from 11:00 am-2:30 pm, and dinner from 5:00-7:30 pm. On the weekends, brunch will be provided from 11:30-2:30 pm, and dinner between 5:00-7:30 pm.
Katy Bradley sheds light on some of the “little things” they have added to the cafe, such as the flavored water station and tortilla chips with salsa. One of the main differences that can be observed is the addition of a “gluten-free” option next to the Comfort station, allowing students with dietary restrictions to have something readily available for them without fear of cross-contamination.
Riley Stark, a senior commercial music production major, explains that while Chick-fil-A is good about avoiding cross-contamination with gluten items, the cafe has struggled a little more with this feat. Opening up honestly about adaptations in SNU dining, Stark states, “It’s great steps. I think they need to go back to the old gluten-free buns, and while it’s nice they have a station specifically set aside that’s gluten-free, they should offer more gluten-free options besides just chicken and rice, so it’s not the same thing every day. However, it’s a move in the right direction.”
While it may be easy for those who live on campus to occasionally wish for better food, students should recognize the amount of work and advocacy that goes into providing us the options that we do have, especially from faculty such as Dr. Redwine and Katy Bradley. So, be sure to thank these representatives for hearing our voices, as well as the Sodexo employees who work tirelessly to make sure we are well-fed and cared for.
Photos by: SNU Creative and Julia Benn