Considerable dining changes came this year. Dan Detora, the college’s food service director, highlighted menu changes and renovations in on campus food venues including Wilson Cafe, Rehearsals Cafe and Midd Express. In an all-student email sent on Sept. 5, Detora reminded students that a $25 declining balance was added on their IDs. The balance, which can be used at any of the college’s retail locations, comes alongside the swipe system that was implemented in dining halls.
One of the retail locations, Wilson’s Cafe at the library, has updated its menu to include upscale bagel sandwiches. This change was made possible through the addition of a deli counter over the summer. Students can buy breakfast or lunch sandwiches, or purchase plain toasted bagels served with varieties of cream cheese, butter or jam. Breakfast sandwiches include options with fried eggs and cheese, while the “More than an Average Joe” sandwich allows customers to add their choice of meat. Lunch sandwich items include the “Los Pescado,” which contains lox, crushed avocado, capers and tomato. The “Bulldozer” is served with roast beef, lettuce, tomato, onion, Swiss cheese and horseradish.
Rehearsals Cafe, located at the Mahaney Center for the Arts, also underwent renovations, and expanded its menu to include juices, smoothies, and recovery shakes. Its hours of operation have extended to 10 p.m., allowing potential customers to finish their workouts at the nearby fitness center before heading over for food. Juices include the “Eye Opener,” which contains apple, carrot, mango and lime.
MiddExpress, the campus convenience store, is the third location the college renovated this summer. The store has reconfigured its shelves and will now be stocked with “F’real” milkshakes, which are premade and ready for purchase.
“The motivation was to offer more options and variety to students beyond the dining halls,” Detora said. “As you know, the dining halls are very crowded during meal periods, so we felt that by expanding the offerings in the retail areas it would reduce that pressure.”
Many students are excited to spend the $25 credit they received this semester, which can be used both at the renovated locations and at the Grille and Crossroads Cafe.
“The $25 is really useful, and a change that I didn’t expect,” Christian Chiang ’20 said. “Besides that, I’m pretty content with the current dining options on campus.”
Asked about his plans for spending his $25 balance, Chiang said, “The Grille is really helpful, since it’s always open at later times in the night. But since the credit works at most places on campus, I wouldn’t be surprised if I tried something else.”
Detora clarified that the $25 balance on each student’s ID card will carry over from semester to semester. He added that if students want to add more funds to their card, they can do so through middlebury.campuscardcenter.com.
