WHAT’S NEW WITH HAMILTON DINING

Wow, I thought to myself the other day. This food is actually really good! I have noticed myself enjoying campus food a lot more this semester than I ever have, and I have been hearing a similar sentiment from my fellow Hamilton classmates, from passing comments of how the new ice cream bar at McEwen is in fact quite a great addition to the Dark Side dining hall, to the passion-filled lecture on the proper method to maximize the amount of rice you receive at the poke bowl stand in Commons. After more than two years of the burdensome nightmare that was the pandemic, we seem to have reached the light at the end of the tunnel. I am only a sophomore, so I never knew firsthand the devastation that was life at Hamilton without Howard Diner, eating at Commons tables separated by large plastic barriers or hiking up from Bundy to get food in a takeout container and then having to walk back down to eat your now cold food alone in your dorm. But times have changed it seems, and so has the food at Hamilton.

As one student put it, “I like how they are taking into consideration student’s opinions in the Global Street Food section of McEwen,” referring to the administration tallying the votes of students at the end of last semester on what type of food they should incorporate more often, and basing this semester’s menus partially on the types of cuisine requested. Another student said about the Commons poke bowl station that, “I have it basically every day,” a reflection of the general popularity of the new dish among students. Likewise, the

Commons pasta bar has been a big hit, and oftentimes the line stretches farther there than the line for the Classics section. These additions, coupled with some additions already added to the dining halls last semester, such as the omelet stations at Commons and McEwen, have greatly improved the overall dining experience for students.

Of course, some students still have certain complaints about the food at Hamilton. One student said that Meatless Mondays at McEwen lunch has redirected substantial dining traffic from dark side to Diner and Commons, making it quite inconvenient to get non-vegetarian options at lunch on Mondays. Another student wished that the donuts during brunch hours on Saturdays at Commons we used to know and love would return. Regardless, students overall are excited about the new stations at the dining halls that have incorporated more tasty flavors into the Hamilton menu. The wonderful surprises that are holiday dining continuing from last semester, ranging from the magnificence of Commons’s Thanksgiving food to McEwen’s Valentine’s Day chocolate fountain, have also welcomed in a great change of pace in the dining experience. And of course, something all students can assuredly agree on, the fact that Howard Diner has not changed a bit is perhaps the best part of on-campus dining. The general improvement in quality and the increase in options of food is not going unnoticed by students–something Hamilton can certainly be proud of.

Feeling uninspired in your room decorations? Want to come back next semester with a new style and new space? Here are some student ideas