No. 4 Duke readies for UNC
Lab wins $5.2 million for algae research A Duke professor is leading the way to make a common biofuel more cost-effective | Page 2
The Blue Devils will take on the No. 3 Tar Heels on the road Friday at 6 p.m. | Sports Page 12
The Chronicle T h e i n d e p e n d e n t d a i ly at D u k e U n i v e r s i t y
thursday, october 15, 2015
www.dukechronicle.com
ONE HUNDRED AND ELEVENTH YEAR, Issue 33
Dame’s Express continues menu expansion Claire Ballentine The Chronicle When it came to campus, Dame’s Express knew it would have to go beyond chicken and waffles to satisfy students. Now, the eatery is continuing menu expansion to keep business booming as the year wears on. Since Dame’s Express opened on Central Campus in August, it has been experimenting with different menu options—such as burgers, egg omelets and frittatas—while continuing to serve its signature dish of fried chicken and waffles. Among the new options will be more pasta, pizza and grab-and-go deli items as well as panko-crusted chicken tenders, Randy Wadsworth, the owner of Dame’s Chicken and Waffles, explained in an email. Wadsworth noted that Dame’s Express is continuing to adjust its menu to best meet students’ needs. “We are gradually expanding our menu to add more items,” he wrote. “We have not deleted or removed any items.” Other ways the restaurant hopes to expand its menu include integrating “additional chicken and waffles, Hispanic items and additional vegetarian options,” Wadsworth explained.
Jesús Hidalgo | The Chronicle Dame’s Chicken and Waffles owner Randy Wadsworth noted that explaining the “express” concept to some customers has been a challenge.
Senior Brian Taylor, chair of Duke University Student Dining Advisory Committee, explained that Dame’s has been analyzing and modifying its menu based on feedback throughout the semester.
“They’re trying to figure out what students like and don’t like,” he said. “So far, it’s been very positive.” Although Wadsworth reported that business has remained steady, several
students noted that the menu expansion is needed. “I love the things that are on it, but it could use just a little more,” sophomore Carly Seamon said. Sophomore Laura Guidera added that because Dame’s is the only restaurant on Central Campus, its menu items quickly became repetitive. Although some might have exhausted the vendor’s menu since classes started, Taylor noted that Dame’s position as the main vendor on Central Campus in place of Devil’s Bistro has actually contributed to its business. Even the presence of the Belgian Waffle Crafters food truck on West Campus—which serves a similar product— has not deterred students from visiting Dame’s, he said. Wadsworth noted that he thinks competition among businesses is healthy. “Unless they decide to sell chicken with their waffles, I don’t see any conflict,” he wrote. In addition to dining at the restaurant, an increased number of customers are taking advantage of their on-campus catering service, Wadsworth explained. See DAME’S MENU on Page 3
Edens 1C gaming suite set to debut Friday Samantha Neal The Chronicle Formerly a common destination for the losers of the housing lottery, Edens might now be the most technologically-advanced Quadrangle on campus. Edens’ new game room—located on the second floor of a glass addition to Edens 1C— features 10 computer gaming desktops and eight screens for Playstation, Wii and Xbox games, including four that are combined into one larger display. The gaming suite, officially called The Bolt, contains four XBox 1s, four Playstation 4s and a Wii U. Rick Johnson, associate vice president for student affairs for Housing, Dining and Residence Life, noted that the game room in a residence hall is one
of a kind, both on campus and nationwide. The room’s grand opening will be held Friday from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. “The game room was an idea that came up in the very beginning of planning of the Edens renovation,” Johnson said. “When we go into a renovation, we look at each community and set some goals. Some of the features that we added were added to meet those objectives.” Even though the game room was in initial plans for the Edens renovations, Johnson said that its inclusion in the project was questioned as the budget increased from $9 million reported at the beginning of the Summer to a final budget of $11 million. “There were people who said, ‘Let’s give up the game-room,’ but we said, ‘No, it’s so See GAME ROOM on Page 3
Special to The Chronicle Edens’ new gaming suite has 10 computer gaming desktops and eight screens, including four that are combined into one larger display.