To start off, we don’t have enough. With that being said, I’m very excited that the University Standing Committee on Dining finally took my ideas seriously today and is looking at a temporary food service facility (possibly between EB1/EB2 in the “oval”) to meet a large part of the need before the 5-7 YEARS proposed that it will take to establish a permanent presence.

For the long-term (5-7 years out) they’re looking at two main options but the floor is still open for more ideas:

- An atrium-like location providing similar food but with more healthy and diverse options in mind. Within such a place would likely be at least one mid to upper range place such as a Panera Bread (http://www.panerabread.com/) or something similar.

- A breakfast and lunch place (a mix between an Atrium and a Clark Dining Hall) serving students/faculty/staff in the daytime, providing for the evenings a convertible space to cater to private businesses for meetings and events.

Possible locations now being considered are inside the new Centennial Campus library (will be larger than D.H. Hill) or inside the vacant building once set aside for an upscale restaurant that never materialized, which is located between Venture I and Venture II (at the bottom of the hill in front of EB1). University Dining is also working in the planning process of new buildings to see if they can get on the ground floor of any soon to be going up.


For the short-term (6 months – 1 year out, until a permanent place opens years later) they’re considering the proposal I made again today to set up a temporary facility. It would include a large mobile kitchen (similar to those used for professional catering operations – see links below) and potentially, covered outdoor seating to give those already in the buildings some place to sit down and eat without having to fight for tables. Outdoor seating will be put in soon for the Port City Java going in over at EB2, so that will help a little as well.

The general idea for this facility now is to be similar to “Toppers” in the Atrium, however providing entrees and not just the basic potatoes, rice and salad. Something more along the lines of baked chicken, fish, basic sandwiches, finished salad and rice dishes, lasagna, (although not all in one day)... essentially a mix between Toppers and Clark Dining Hall fare with actual plates of food running for roughly $4-$5. But this is just a proposal... so I’m looking for as much feedback as I can get.

I really want to get you all’s opinions. There will be a survey going out late April, which I’m heading up work on now, to all the students currently over there for classes but in the meantime I want to know what everyone here would like to see so I can pass this along to the rest that are helping me out on this.

Are you in favor of what is being proposed thus far?

What would you like (or NOT like) to see on Centennial?

Any preferences for the location of a new place to be put in (on the proposed short-term or long-term plans)?



Links for Temporary Dining Facilities:

Nationwide Mobile Kitchens
http://mobilekitchens.com/ (main)
http://mobilekitchens.com/photoswisc1.htm (Wisconsin Univ. Project)

Stewart’s Mobile Concepts
http://www.stewartsmobile.com/about.html (main)

Mobile Kitchens Canada (Serving US & CAN.)
http://www.mobilekitchenscanada.com/info/ (main)


Also one thing I wanted to note is that the Port City Java’s that are the only thing sure to open, aren’t the best, nor intended to meet the food need. A limited menu of sandwiches are available at the one in the textiles building, (EB2 will not serve them when it opens) but as one faculty member put today, the cheapest one is $6.95, is small, and comes with approximately 10 potato chips, drink not included. Expanding the menu there is not an option because this is all the food the franchise offers... the places are not there to meet the FOOD need, but the desserts and beverages side it will help out to fulfill.

3/14/2006 9:27:41 PM

shit lets build a dining hall thats for AFC/College Inn people actually live there

or better yet, lets have a dining hall that stays open an hour after people ACTUALLY get out of fuckin class

3/14/2006 9:36:44 PM

Quote :

"shit lets build a dining hall thats for AFC/College Inn people actually live there"

There has been the suggestion of at least a large C-Store for South Campus because of how many people located there are students. Expecially with the addition of Western Manor (eventually all the non-students will be kicked out), although there has always been a good number of students in the area with AFC, the College Inn and the other apartments near Mission Valley. One main concern of putting more than a C-Store is competition from all the places open to eat in Mission Valley unlike on other more remote places on campus.

If you have ideas for locations of a C-Store or something larger toss them out and I'll voice them to the people who have the most influence over where the next places will be.

3/14/2006 9:59:02 PM

I think we need somewhere to eat over there asap. I hate those damn pizza hut personal schwagg pizzas, and that's pretty much all there is.

3/14/2006 10:25:14 PM

I have a short term solution. And in fact it was an EXCELLENT solution last semester.

That would be let the IEEE sell hot dogs, chips, and drinks outside.

It was done once a week (therefore it was not a business) and its proceeds went towards raising funds for the IEEE Hardware Competition coming up in April. People were happy to have food, they always ran out of hot dogs, and best of all - they didn't start fires like AIChE.

But of course it was shut down last semester and once again this whole issue crops up again.

3/14/2006 11:02:27 PM

burger king is the centenial campus dining hall

do the corporate buildings have their own cafeterias?

if so i might crash them now and then

3/14/2006 11:28:33 PM

^^ I agree. I pushed Art White (the admin over dining/catering) to allow it since he was the one responsible for telling them they couldn't anymore. He is still against the idea from both a health standpoint and a business standpoint. Hunger Lunch, another group, also wanted to pull a cart out there in order to raise funds for the charity work they support, however they were denied as well.

I'm still promoting the idea of getting IEEE and Hunger Lunch spots, but I don't have much support from the administration behind me. I will not stop though, and I've spoken to representatives from both groups about it. I've also mentioned at the meeting before last that if we are not going to put something out there ourselves we need to accommodate those groups who can solve the problems we're unwilling to fix... help them meet the regulations and the business rules. It doesn't help the ones we have still don't address Centennial Campus as clearly as they should.

Andrew Barnes is also aware of the problem. He's the Univ. Affairs Committee Chair in the Student Senate. Hopefully he should be able to touch on that before the term ends, however if they can't get around to it I'm sure the next group coming in would be willing to deal with it. (This is a proper place where the Student Senate could make a difference if they really wanted to).

[Edited on March 14, 2006 at 11:28 PM. Reason : ref.]

3/14/2006 11:28:37 PM

Bulldoze Centennial Campus and pretend it never happened

3/14/2006 11:37:12 PM

Quote :

"He is still against the idea from both a health standpoint and a business standpoint."

I still maintain this is the saddest excuse of an argument for halting IEEE from doing this.

It just seems silly to say it's a health issue because how can you screw up cooking a hot dog? I mean seriously. I don't see this being an issue. If people are that skeptical, you either don't buy a hot dog or you go use the microwave in the EB1 C-Store or something. Heck, you could stand there and watch your hot dog go onto the grill and pretty much decide when you felt it was ready.

And from a business standpoint - I can't follow this guy's logic. Yes, the IEEE raised a good bit of funds by selling hot dogs every week. But that money went right back to helping out that organization pay for events and trips to places for its members. The only way I can see it being a "business" is the IEEE saw a way to help out fellow engineering students by offering a cheap and quick lunch alternative. And in the process, they could raise funds for trips and other events at the same time. So everybody is a winner. It's not like every day they were out there selling hot dogs.

Quote :

"burger king is the centenial campus dining hall"

Agreed.

3/14/2006 11:57:30 PM

^ I think some people in dining may see it as opening the floodgates for others to profit off of food sales, endangering Univ. Dining's control on campus. But that is only an idea... I can't at all say that is the case.

I'm behind IEEE all the way too with what they're doing... sponsored their SG Appropriations request this semester. I'm going to do more than just hope for them to be back out there.

3/15/2006 12:06:09 AM

So... any ideas. I'd hate to see this thread die. I know there are enough people at NCSU that would like to have something more / different on Centennial Campus. If you guys let me know what you want I'll make sure your voices are heard.

3/22/2006 5:18:44 AM

Quote :

"People were happy to have food, they always ran out of hot dogs, and best of all - they didn't start fires like AIChE."

haha

you go fry a turkey everyday instead of hot dogs and see what happens

3/22/2006 7:43:23 AM

Quote :

"It just seems silly to say it's a health issue because how can you screw up cooking a hot dog? I mean seriously. I don't see this being an issue. If people are that skeptical, you either don't buy a hot dog or you go use the microwave in the EB1 C-Store or something. Heck, you could stand there and watch your hot dog go onto the grill and pretty much decide when you felt it was ready."

while it may be true that it is hard to screw up a hot dog, that doesn't change the fact that food serving establishments have to meet health dept. regulations.

I really don't see what Dining's problem is. They have the facilities (Clark and Fountain) to prepare the food, and they have large insulated food storage things and trucks to transport it around campus. They could just prepare extra of what the dining halls are serving and one of those kitchens set up with a bunch of warmers in it (like in the dining halls) and just have like a mini dining hall over there.

Or they could just get a small kitchen trailer (like you see at the fair) and serve hamburgers and hotdogs.

3/22/2006 8:11:07 AM

I'm in the CoT and I definitely agree there should be some better options for the campus, especially for those who don't have cars to get places fast.

I haven't bought any of the sandwiches and stuff from PCJ, mainly b/c of the price. When they were giving out free samples the week before it opened, some of the stuff was good, but for $7+, no way.

they need to get a better price...like global village's 'happy meal' ($5.50 for a panini, bag of chips, and small, maybe medium, coffee or tea).

3/22/2006 9:08:05 AM

In the short-term, it might be best to look at expanding the small C-Store that's in EB1.

Quote :

"I really don't see what Dining's problem is. They have the facilities (Clark and Fountain) to prepare the food, and they have large insulated food storage things and trucks to transport it around campus. They could just prepare extra of what the dining halls are serving and one of those kitchens set up with a bunch of warmers in it (like in the dining halls) and just have like a mini dining hall over there."

Orginially that's what the Shuttle Inn had. They had a small hotbar in there with food brought over from Fountain. However, it sucked. It sucked hard. I don't recall the exact reasons (was on University Dining Committee myself back then), but overall Shuttle had lots of problems because it had been built in the wrong location.

They got rid of the hotbar eventually and that was a big improvement. If you wanted to do something like that, you'd need to find a good location for it, and I don't know of any *existing* location where you could do that.

Quote :

"Possible locations now being considered are inside the new Centennial Campus library (will be larger than D.H. Hill) or inside the vacant building once set aside for an upscale restaurant that never materialized, which is located between Venture I and Venture II"

It's called the Venture Center, and they were talking about that area when I was on the committee too. As I recall, the reason it was never filled was because the rent was so high. I think the Venture people even approached Dining about putting a place there because no other chain would, but even Dining refused. Has the rent been decreased or has something else come up that would make that location viable?

Quote :

"Outdoor seating will be put in soon for the Port City Java going in over at EB2, so that will help a little as well."

What? Where? There are some benches being put in the EB2 atrium now, is that what you're referring to?

3/22/2006 2:14:05 PM

I was up at Notre Dame for a football game last fall, and they had hotdog/hamburger stands scattered throughout campus run by various student organizations. They were sponsored by and regulated by their University dining services. I don't remember the exact workings of it, but it may be worth looking into. An arrangement in which dining services bought ingredients and a stand that meets health regulations and then rented it out to various student/charitable organizations for fund-raising would make everybody happy. If they are really concerned, they could provide a paid kitchen manager to supervise things. This way, groups can make their money and dining wouldn't feel like they were being undercut on sales or in danger of bad health ratings.

3/22/2006 2:34:03 PM

Quote :

"In the short-term, it might be best to look at expanding the small C-Store that's in EB1."

That would be the easiest if we had room, but because those in CHE don't want to give up lobby space or a larger area such as an independent room, it will not be possible. The place sitting in EB1 now was never intended to stay there, but because it is making $$$ as well as adopted by the CHE department, it will stay, but it is without even the basics, including running water for the coffee there (at one time they were taking it out of the bathrooms, but now they use the kitchen/lounge higher up in EB1).

Quote :

"It's called the Venture Center, and they were talking about that area when I was on the committee too. As I recall, the reason it was never filled was because the rent was so high. I think the Venture people even approached Dining about putting a place there because no other chain would, but even Dining refused. Has the rent been decreased or has something else come up that would make that location viable?"

The rent is the same reason they're not moving in now. Dining doesn't want to pay it because they don't feel they will be able to break even with a Monday-Thursday lunchtime business there and is trying to work out a deal. The bad part of it is that they have said it will take a minimum of two years planning to refit the place if they do so because now it has a dirt floor... it would be building from nothing on the inside. The more likely and cheaper option would be to get ground floor space in an upcoming building, but with what is under consideration now, that is still several years out.

Quote :

"What? Where? There are some benches being put in the EB2 atrium now, is that what you're referring to?"

Along the giant wall at the corner of EB1 and EB2 it is to my understanding that several tables similar to those at the atrium will be put in for outdoor seating when the Port City Java goes in.

Quote :

"I was up at Notre Dame for a football game last fall, and they had hotdog/hamburger stands scattered throughout campus run by various student organizations. They were sponsored by and regulated by their University dining services. I don't remember the exact workings of it, but it may be worth looking into. An arrangement in which dining services bought ingredients and a stand that meets health regulations and then rented it out to various student/charitable organizations for fund-raising would make everybody happy. If they are really concerned, they could provide a paid kitchen manager to supervise things. This way, groups can make their money and dining wouldn't feel like they were being undercut on sales or in danger of bad health ratings."

Sounds good, I'll bring it up. The first option I put on the table was for something similar, for dining to either allow the groups in (IEEE and Hunger Lunch) or work to see that they meet regulations and can be there. Doing something like this would be great if those in Dining would be willing to work with the idea... I know they are VERY protective on how and who can sell food on campus. I'll try to get in contact with those at Notre Dame before the meeting in April and get the details of their arrangement to bolster the argument.

3/22/2006 2:51:23 PM

In the Shuttle Inn, the hotbar was taken out mainly because of health/safety issues. For buildings that were already built there, you can't add restaurants that cook into it. That's why PCJ has their stuff made/cooked in Talley and brought over in the AM. To add the correct venting, etc to cook, you'd have to have it go up all 4 floors (at the CoT) out the roof.

But, if Venture had a place set up, it'd be nice. I mean, Shuttle Inn has those (crappy) pizzas and chicken sandwiches, etc, along with the pricey Saladelia stuff and even pricier PCJ next door, but I don't know...It's hard to say that there's a good solution to all of it.

3/22/2006 2:54:16 PM

you sure that it would have to go up?

i've seen lots of places that have vents run out the side of buildings



but anyways, what I was talking about was cooking elsewhere and just keeping it warm there. essentially what they do in the dining halls. Cook it a while before it is served and let it sit in warmers, then serve it in somethign that keeps it hot.

[Edited on March 22, 2006 at 3:57 PM. Reason : ]

3/22/2006 3:56:03 PM

I'm confused. There is Port City Java at Textiles, right?

Is there also going to be one at EBII?

I sure am getting sick of Hot 'n Readies everyday. Not like PCJ would fix that or anything. Good coffee would be nice though.

3/22/2006 4:11:12 PM

^ Yes, there will be a Port City Java in EB2. It's being built next to the EOS lab. Don't know if they've done any work on it in a while. We've been assuming that it would be finished in time for the dedication in mid/late-April, but I can't say for sure.

Quote :

"but anyways, what I was talking about was cooking elsewhere and just keeping it warm there. essentially what they do in the dining halls. Cook it a while before it is served and let it sit in warmers, then serve it in somethign that keeps it hot."

That's what Shuttle Inn did. There is no kitchen in the Shuttle Inn, it's too small.

3/22/2006 5:21:13 PM

i think that dining places should be located between textiles and engineering. It'll be fair to both colleges (i.e. maybe that empty lot right before engineering and textiles). Basically anything to eat since at textiles we have nothing to eat except port city java with jacked up prices and people don't have much time between classes to eat (especially juniors and seniors since there stuck at the college of textiles every semester).

Quote :

"Orginially that's what the Shuttle Inn had. They had a small hotbar in there with food brought over from Fountain. However, it sucked. It sucked hard. I don't recall the exact reasons (was on University Dining Committee myself back then), but overall Shuttle had lots of problems because it had been built in the wrong location."

i overheard somebody and they said the hot bar was closed down because it didn't meet quality standards and that the food was bad for you

[Edited on March 22, 2006 at 5:25 PM. Reason : s]

3/22/2006 5:24:22 PM

anything with food that wasn't warmed by a microwave and a 100w bulb

3/22/2006 7:57:08 PM

i'm sorry the biggest thing i saw when i read that was the centennial campus library that is going to be larger than DH Hill?

uhm...what? where? what kind of collection?

...?

3/22/2006 11:39:20 PM

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11805517/

neat.

3/22/2006 11:42:00 PM

Quote :

"That compares to the No. 1 ranked University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a 22.7 square feet per student ratio, according to a university study."

That's because they have 5 or 6 libaries spread around campus ... you can never just walk into one and "find" what you are looking for

I'd love to see university dining work together more with student groups so they do meet the sanitation score/pass a health inspection. University doesn't have to pay anybody ... students don't have to pay too much ... student group fundraises $100+ a day.

3/23/2006 6:33:26 AM

Quote :

"Along the giant wall at the corner of EB1 and EB2 it is to my understanding that several tables similar to those at the atrium will be put in for outdoor seating when the Port City Java goes in. "

Oh, so near the stairs. I know what you're referring to now. Hm, I had originally figured they would put trees in those spots, but tables make sense. Explains why they haven't finished putting in the benches.

Not terribly convenient for the Port City Java. Those tables would be just outside the West entrance of EB2, and the PCJ is going on the East side. But oh well

3/23/2006 9:10:43 AM

How bout you make the wolves den actually decent

3/23/2006 10:01:03 AM

^^ There is the possiblity too that I'm wrong on the placement. That is at least where I understood it to be, I'll check with someone else who was there when it was brought up to make sure.

3/23/2006 5:20:02 PM

get Army MKTs hahaha

3/23/2006 11:05:24 PM