By Taylor Berenbaum, health and wellness reporter
Virginia Tech Dining Services has introduced several changes this semester, from a new all-you-care-to-eat model at Owens Food Court to adjustments in how students access other dining locations.
Owens Food Court now operates as an all-you-care-to-eat dining center alongside D2. Students with unlimited meal plans can access those locations once every 60 minutes during operating hours. Other locations, including Turner Place, Perry Place, West End and Squires Food Court, offer different combinations of meal exchanges and declining-balance options.
According to Margaret Ashburn, associate director of media relations and deputy spokesperson, the changes were more than a year in the making. Dining Services developed the new plans in response to concerns that the previous Flex Plans were not meeting students’ needs and growing interest in unlimited dining options. Owens was also added to increase dining capacity for students on unlimited plans.
The new system has become a source of confusion during the first weeks of the semester. Students have questions about which locations accept their meal plans, what qualifies as a meal exchange and how to access food when popular dining centers become crowded or other concepts are closed.
To better understand the transition, a Virginia Tech Dining Services student employee who works in a leadership role and is based in Owens Hall discussed what they have observed during the first weeks of the semester. The employee requested anonymity due to their position within the department.
The employee’s comments were edited slightly for length and clarity.
From your perspective as someone working in dining, what are the biggest changes students are experiencing this semester?
The biggest issues I’m seeing are meal plan confusion, frustration and inaccessibility. The department has been changing how the plans function during the first few weeks of the semester, which has made it difficult for students and employees to understand how everything works. Building the ship as we’re sailing it, really.
Staffing is another major challenge. Because of staffing needs, some dining concepts have had to close or reduce their hours, which means students do not always have access to the variety of food options available on campus.
What has the transition to Owens’ all-you-care-to-eat model looked like from the employee side, particularly during busy periods?
It has required a significant adjustment. The way Owens is set up physically does not always align easily with the new model, particularly during peak meal times.
The biggest challenge is the combination of increased demand and the way the dining space is structured. Between noon and 2 p.m., when demand is highest, it can become especially difficult for employees to keep up with the volume of students.
The peak meal rushes have become a significant challenge. There is a mismatch between how many students need food at certain times and how much capacity the dining operation has during those periods.
Long lines and crowds are some of the biggest issues. Seating can also become limited during peak periods. Outside of those peak periods, the system can be easier to manage. During rushes, the biggest challenges are long lines, frequent instances of items being unavailable and keeping up with housekeeping.
How has the increased demand at Owens affected staffing at other dining locations?
Employees have been moved from other dining locations to help staff Owens. For example, personnel have been pulled from Hokie Grill to support the increased demand at Owens.
That redistribution of employees can mean other concepts have to close or operate with reduced staffing. I’ve seen Choolah, Pizza Hut and Dunkin’ close around noon on many days to accommodate staffing needs at Owens.
How have the changes affected the way food is prepared and served?
The focus on serving a high volume of students can affect how food is prepared. When speed and output become the priority, maintaining the same preparation process can be difficult.
For example, at Pop’s in Owens, burgers may be precooked and then warmed on the grill before being served. That differs from a made-to-order model like the one at West End.
What questions or confusion do you hear most often from students about the new dining setup?
A lot of students ask whether they chose the wrong meal plan and whether it is too late to change it. Meal exchanges are another major source of confusion. Students ask how they work and why they cannot necessarily get everything they want with one exchange.
Students also ask why so many dining concepts are closed and how they are supposed to get meals when their only free time happens to be during the busiest dining periods.
What should students understand about meal exchanges?
Meal exchange equivalencies are a big one. A meal exchange generally works like an employee meal voucher: an entrée, two sides and one drink, with a value of around $15. However, individual dining concepts can determine what qualifies as a meal exchange.
For example, at Choolah, a bowl with a Mango Lemonade may qualify as a meal exchange, while a wrap and Mango Lassi may not.
What do you think students should know about navigating Dining Services this semester?
Speak up. Students should contact Hokie Passport Services or speak with a manager if they have questions about their meal plans or dining options. They should make sure they understand the parameters of the new freedoms and the restrictions that come with them.
Student employees are doing their best to help, but ultimately we are messengers. When policies change, especially when they change quickly, it can be difficult for employees to have all of the answers immediately.
Students and their families are investing a significant amount in these meal plans, so I think it is important that the system remains transparent and user-friendly.
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