Dining Hall Facing Continued Criticism
Since Sodexo took over the dining services, many things in the Clarke Dining Hall have changed. Many students are frustrated with these changes and have voiced their concerns about unfulfilled promises and a lack of support for students' needs.
At the beginning of the fall semester, Sodexo took over as a food provider for Clarke University, which had previously been in-house Clarke Dining Services. Since then, a lot of changes were made and some of them did not make Clarke Students happy. Many have spoken up about their frustration with the new dining provider.
We have reached out to students to ask them about their opinions and experiences with the new Dining Hall. One student described her feelings like this: “I’m extremely disappointed in the promises that Sodexo and Clarke have made. They promised different food, better food, and for it to be fresher. I haven’t seen any of these promises.” She believes that the food “has gotten worse“ since last year, even though she, and many others, hoped for an improved food situation at Clarke.
For some students, the meals are so unsatisfactory that they have decided to not eat in the Dining Hall anymore: “Honestly, the food is unseasoned half the time, burnt, or undercooked, and it’s very frustrating to know that I’m paying for a meal plan that I don’t even use because the food is so nasty." Many respondents agreed that they’ve also experienced undercooked, unseasoned, cold, or dried out food multiple times before.
Other concerns that respondents have mentioned is missing variety in the Dining Hall. In promotional material, Clarke has promised “rotating menus inspired by seasonal ingredients, featuring new recipes and flavors throughout the year." Students believe that this has not been delivered, some stating that “It feels like the opposite. It’s just pizza and fries every day.” Additionally, many have complained that the process of getting food has become more difficult. Many times, popular food items reportedly run out and are either not prepared in time to be restocked, or there isn’t enough which ultimately makes students either wait or choose less popular options for their meal.
Crux writers have reached out to Sodexo Dining Hall staff, but none of the attempts to receive information regarding the Dining Hall and student wishes have been answered so far. Sodexo Management has done a survey themselves, asking students for improvement possibilities and feedback. So far, in two cases, this feedback was heard and changes were made. Food items are now labeled clearly and make it easier for students with dietary restrictions to choose the right food. Additionally, the Dining Hall has introduced reusable to go-containers that students can take with them if they are unable to eat in the Dining Hall.
The last complaint students have voiced is the inability to use meal swipes interchangeably. Many students now prefer Café 1843 over the Dining Hall but are limited to a certain number of swipes per week/semester.
Not only are the students frustrated. Just 3 months into the fall semester, there have already been a lot of shakeups in staffing. After the change in leadership in the Dining Hall, multiple long-time employees have left their jobs. The Dining Hall is now on its third head chef since Sodexo took over in August, according to a source associated with the matter. Two previous chefs left within months of the employer change. The source also states that there is a lot of frustration from workers as well, leading to an understaffing issue that “affects the service quality."
As the first semester nears its end, many students hope to be heard and to see improvements in the Dining Hall soon.
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