Cafeteria debuts new programs

The A&M-Commerce Dining Service, Sodexo, recently unveiled some policy changes that impact how and when students eat at the cafeteria in the Sam Rayburn Student Center.

Since the start of the 2010 fall semester, the cafeteria no longer provides trays, straws or a carryout option for students. They also upgraded several areas inside of the dining room and instituted a new schedule.

"Summers are a busy time for us as we spend them planning for the upcoming year," Sodexo General Manager Charles Lear said. "This year was no different, as we added a vegetarian rice bar at the International Station in the dining room. The rice bar will showcase different types of rice along with multiple toppings so that you can create something different every time. In addition to this, we've added a new double-sided salad bar to better serve our customers."

A new schedule called "continuous dining" allows students to eat in the dining room anytime between 7:15 a.m. and 7:15 p.m. Monday – Thursday, and 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Fridays. Hot food is served from 7:15 a.m. to 10 a.m., 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. It also re-opens from 8:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. for late night. On Saturdays and Sundays, the dining room is open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Sodexo gave no comment on questions concerning any negative reaction to their changes, but A&M-Commerce students were vocal on the subject.

"It is a good idea, but it's very inconvenient at times, especially for people who didn't waste in the first place," Hunter Joyce, sophomore industrial engineering and math major, said. "The lack of straws is frustrating."

Others view the changes in a more positive light.

"I think that it's a good idea and we can live without trays for a while," Arielle McMahon, sophomore art major, said.

For some students, it took a while to get acclimated to the changes.

"At first, I didn't like it, but I got used to it," Byron Jefferson, junior business administration major, said. "Now the trays don't take up table space. It's a change, but they still have late night, so I'm cool with it now."

For freshmen students, the new policies are all they've known.

"I think it depends on your outlook, but as long as you keep the cafeteria clean, I'm indifferent," Brandon McGlone, freshman sports management major, said.

Dining services also added to the food court, which is located right next to the dining room in the student center.

"In the food court, we added Mex to the Max, which offers authentic Mexican cuisine and we now deliver orders ($15 minimum order) for Einstein's Bagels to on campus locations," Lear said.

Students can view updated menus, scheduling and contact information at www.tamu-commercedining.com/dining.