Dining Changes

Dining Services has enjoyed great student participation at all of our meals particularly over the past several years.  I do believe that this can be attributed to the variety we offer on our menus, the Dining Services staff taking pride and being diligent in the preparation and delivery of your meals, and the flexibility around access to meals.  However, as a result of the increased participation, we have had to make some minor adjustments to our services.

 

Cooked-to-Order Breakfast

Discontinuing cooked-to-order breakfast was an operational decision.  The volume of requests had gotten too high for the staff to be able to handle, particularly since the breakfast cook is juggling multiple responsibilities which include prepping items for the lunch and dinner meals and receiving orders.  It was necessary to make some changes in order to insure that the breakfast cook will would be able to fulfill all of their responsibilities.

This year, we are still providing several hot breakfast items on a daily basis.  There are items that will be “standard” and available daily in conjunction with a rotation of hot breakfast items.  I have included the list of all hot and cold items that you will have available for breakfast noted in the document below.  From all early indications, the current hot breakfast service has shown an increase in the student participation because there is no longer a wait for hot food.  We are monitoring this very closely and will make any necessary adjustments to the menu options once we have had a chance to gather some history to make a proper and thorough evaluation.

Breakfast Items for 2009-2010 Academic Year

 

Brunch Meal Hours

The decision to move the brunch hours back ½ hour (from 11:00 AM to 11:30 AM) was also due to operational reasons, basically to give the staff an adequate amount of time to transition from continental breakfast and prepare for brunch, a meal at which we generally feed anywhere from 350 – 400 people in all of the halls that offer brunch.  There have been no changes to the brunch menu selections we offer.

As with any of the changes in the services we provide, we will continue to closely monitor and assess them throughout the year, and, in particular over the next several weeks, to see if we need to make any other adjustments.  Please be patient with us during this evaluation process.   

As always, Dining Services appreciates and welcomes all student feedback.  We do take your feedback that we receive very seriously and will incorporate suggestions when it is operationally feasible to do so.   Thank you.

 

Ms. Dale M. Hennessey 

Director of Dining Services

Mount Holyoke College

413-538-2100 (phone)    413-538-2364 (fax)