Students Complain about Dining: Dining Services Claim they’re Fixing It

After returning to campus, students are disappointed with food options at USD. 

Karisa Kampbell / News Editor / The USD Vista

Ranked as one of the best universities in on-campus dining, USD students have high expectations from the dining department. However, since returning for the fall semester, many students are unhappy with the options that the university offers. From low quality food, long lines, and missing options for those with dietary restrictions, students feel that USD dining is not living up to its acclaim. 

USD sophomore and vegetarian, Janea McCoy, shared her frustrations with the current limited options. 

“There’s not a lot of diversity in the food. (With) what vegetarian options they do have, they’re very inconsistent,” McCoy said. “The salad bar, for example, has tofu as a protein substitute, but if you get there past five for dinner, they’re out of it. Everyday it’s very inconsistent with what you get.”

McCoy also shared how she feels that USD is not making enough of their vegetarian/vegan options in order to ensure that all students are able to eat.

 “The vegetarian options aren’t limited to just vegetarians, so people who don’t need to be eating it are, and then the university runs out of the vegetarian or vegan option for the students who actually need it,” McCoy stated. 

Additionally, a problem that all students face is the long lines at every open and available dining option. Students complained about waiting upwards of 45 minutes to receive their food, a problem for those with busy schedules trying to grab a quick bite when they are free. 

Blake Burke, USD sophomore, expressed how the long waits for food affect his eating decisions. 

“With everything being opened, I was looking forward to eating at all the new places around campus, like La Paloma. What I have found is that the lines for these places are insanely long. I wait at least 30 minutes whenever I try to get food,” Burke said. “I can’t eat at any of these places because I have such a short break for lunch between classes. I love that they are open, but I need a faster option for food when I’m going between classes.”

Students are frustrated and upset with the university because they feel that USD is not upholding its promise to deliver quality food and a variety to those with dietary restrictions. However, the university claims to already be aware of this problem and are working on it. 

Loryn Johnson, Marketing and Licensing Director of Auxiliary Services, explained that with the new academic school year comes new staff, some of which are only temporary staff members and work for a day, then never come back to work again. This makes it difficult for employees to know what is and isn’t available for students who have special dietary needs. 

As for complaints about there being limited to no vegan options available, Johnson emphasized that there should be options at every meal, and students might just have to get creative, or ask to find them. It’s critical that all students are eating, and she wants the student body to know that they are doing everything in their power to accommodate special dietary needs.

“If you’re not sure about something, ask the chef,” Johnson stated. “We are here to support the students. We don’t want anyone feeling like they aren’t getting what they need.” 

Johnson also shared  a list of offerings that should be available on a daily basis at the Student Life Pavilion (SLP)LP. For vegans, “Chives” becomes Clean Kitchen during dinner hours, students can indulge in a vegan sautee that is cooked, made to order. Clean kitchen is

a student-influenced dining option that allows students to pick ingredients to give to the chef at the station, and create their own delicious vegan dish. In addition, the vegan pantry, located in the drink refrigerator, is full of different ingredients, sauces, and dressings for students to use that is included in their meal swipe. These ingredients and the vegan pantry were incorporated into Pavillion dining after speaking to, and working closely with the vegan club –  however, they are always open to new suggestions. 

“We worked closely with the student vegan club to create this (the vegan dining options at Pavillion dining),” Johnson said. “However, we are always open to suggestions. If it works you (the student), we will bring it in.”

Additionally,  menu boards are being redeveloped and remodeled.  The menu boards are being re-done to ensure that food is marked properly to communicate the specific dietary needs that an item caters to. This, and a combination of a little creativity on the students’ part should help students find food to eat at all campus locations, all times of the day. 

Special accommodations can also be made while cooking food. Separate pans for food can be requested in order to ensure that no cross-contamination occurs. If a student has serious allergies or food concerns, students can schedule a meeting with the chef to discuss dietary needs, and walk around Pavilion dining to discover what one can and can not eat. 

As far as long lines and wait times for food are concerned, Johnson suggests the GET App; a new initiative the school is attempting to push forward that allows students to order their food ahead of time and skip the lines. This is a great option for on-the-go students who are worried about waiting in lines for food. 

“You order, you pay on the app, you go to the pickup place, grab your bag, and go.” Johnson exclaimed. 

Another new feature is Terraza To-Go; the only food option through the GET app that will actually deliver to any on-campus building. To order from Terraza To-Go, open the GET app and continue to order as normal, except select Terraza To-Go as the dining option. Then select where the food should be delivered and continue to check out. 

While students have been struggling with USD dining since arriving at school, the university assures that they are aware of the flaws and working to fix them. If students have any complaints or concerns about food options, students can ask to speak with a manager immediately, or send an email to dining@sandiego.edu. This email will get students connected with the correct people.