Dining gives students new meal options

Dining Services is switching hats with its patrons -- putting the task of cooking in the hands of students. As an alternative to the current dining options, those on meal plan are now able to experiment at new wok stations, which offer a choice of white or brown rice, tofu, sliced meats, fresh vegetables and different sauces. And waffle stations will be installed some time this year, allowing students to make their own waffles at breakfast. But the list of new options for those on meal plan does not end with tofu and waffles. During finals both semesters, meals will be served at Stouffer Dining Commons from midnight until 5 a.m. -- equivalent to breakfast on the meal plan. And for a buffet-style dinner in an intimate dining atmosphere, all students on meal plan can now dine at the Castle on Locust Walk Monday through Thursday from 6 to 7 p.m. In addition, meals in the dining halls can now be exchanged equally for meals in the Hillel cafeteria, which has been moved to the Faculty Club. Attempts have also been made to encourage students to eat outside, weather permitting. Outdoor cafe tables and chairs have been added, and for graduate students, the Anvil Club's outdoor plaza has recently been renovated. And Dining Services has plans to sponsor various "special events" for a change of pace, including an ice-cream social and a spring picnic on the first day of Reading Days. As in the past, boxed meals are available for students who are sick or have conflicting schedules with regular dining hours. These must be ordered 24 hours in advance. Other new dining services options include pizza seven days a week at Chats' new Tomassito's Italian Pizza Cafe. And the Chats Bake Shop -- renamed Quakers Bakery -- will serve freshly baked muffins and doughnuts as well as a variety of other pastries and desserts. Dining Services Director William Canney said he is excited about the new changes. "We want to continue to maintain the quality of our food and service and expand what we currently offer to meet the changing needs of our customers," he said. He added that Dining Services is attempting to stress the importance of healthier, low-fat food options. The menus will continue to list the fat and calorie content of the meals, and Nutritionist Lisa Basel-Brown is available by phone and e-mail to entertain students' questions. Meal Contracts Coordinator Adam Sherr agreed with Canney's evaluation. "This has been the smoothest opening ever," he said. "We have been able to provide improved levels of service despite the zero percent price increase in the meal plans since last year." Sherr said he wants to stress the importance of student feedback. Students may view Dining Service's new home page, which can be accessed at "http://www.upenn.edu/dining".