Sometimes dinner isn't enough for the appetites of college students, therefore late night dining offered at Smith Hall allows those who enjoy later meals to have it at the nightly hours. From 10pm to 6am students can enjoy a meal at The Craft, a newly implemented dining option for those that like to dine at night.
This is a change from previous years where the student body could grab food left out all around the dining hall like cereal, pizza, pasta, and fries. The options have now shifted to hot, fresh food, but this is only in one section of the dining hall, and the only place to grab food or drinks. Smith Hall now closes all other food items and only leaves The Craft section open.
Photo courtesy of Maya Koob.
These changes beg the question of whether or not the student body enjoys this newly implemented dining option. How do they feel about it, do they enjoy the food being offered, and what changes they might like to be added?
The first main question is how often the student body has been doing late night dining. The response was mixed, where some students interviewed come almost nightly, or some don’t dine at it at all. However, all 12 students that were interviewed had the same common note, which was a request for more variety. There was a common wish that there was an expansion to the menu options.
“I feel as though the options are really limited, the only thing we eat when we are down here is like chicken tenders. I feel like they should have more options, like especially for the gluten free section which is closed. You have these options but then you have to ask the people behind, and you feel like a burden.” Sophomore Rheigna Gullatte stated.
The concern for allergies and more options for those with dietary restrictions was one thing that stuck out in the interviews. The students hope as The Craft progresses, they start to implement more items that students can eat.
All students interviewed also expressed their want for more of the sections of the dining hall, including those with the cereal and other items that are non-perishable, to be open at later hours, as was done in the past.
“I feel like if there was just one other station that could be well managed that they don’t have to worry about, I feel like that little cereal and ice cream nook is fine for the most part” said Junior, Maja Todorović.
“I wish it was more customizable than it was, and there were less options, like the thing they do at 5pm. And leave the cereal open, because a lot of late nights I don’t want a burger or something. I just want a bowl of cereal, because it’s midnight and I’m hungry, but I don’t want a meal. I just want a snack” Sophomore Meaghan Buckler says.
The student body agrees that The Craft is a good idea, but it needs to be expanded. They also would like more options, mixing old with the new. As The Craft grows, there is hope for improvement as they learn what the student body wants.
Feeding a bunch of college students is tricky, as it means meeting the needs of a whole student body. Learning how students feel about certain aspects of this dining option is key to improving The Craft. Students crave more improvements and food to satisfy them.
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