Junior Andrew Green enjoyed the make-your-own omelet he ate during a visit to Bowdoin University, but he said Washington University’s food is even better. The Daily Meal food blog disagreed. Still, while Bowdoin ranked as having the best college food in America, Washington University was right on its heels with the No. 2 spot in the blog’s annual survey.

Washington University Dining Services spent approximately $7,000 this year to replace missing and broken dishes, utensils, cups and trays. The cost of replacing dishes is reflected in students’ meal plans. Each year, Dining Services allocates $1.50 to 2.50 per student in its budget to cover the costs of replacing missing dining equipment.

Walking outside for food will soon be optional. Sophomores Jordan Zipkin and Philip Taub are working with the Bon Appétit Management Company, which operates the campus eateries on the South 40, to implement a service that allows students to order food online to be delivered directly to their dorm rooms.

“So now we’re back in tomato land,” said Nadeem Siddiqui, resident district manager of Bon Appétit. After months without tomatoes from Dining Services, tomatoes will be sold again by the end of next week. During the winter growing season, the only source of available tomatoes was in Florida, where many companies were not paying their tomato pickers sufficient salaries in the view of Dining Services.

Fascinated by nomenclature? How about food? Fame? Glory? Dining Services is offering Wash. U. students and the surrounding community the opportunity to name next year’s dining options at the new South 40 House. This process includes two rounds, the first of which is currently open. Anyone can fill out a survey and submit ideas for the names of many stations, opening in August 2010.

Wash. U.’s Dining Services has managed to come up with some positive news for the new semester: better hours at the Village. The stir-fry station’s hours have been extended from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday through Thursday, and the Village Grill is open until 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday evenings.

The Washington University student group Feed St. Louis is scheduled to kick off a new campus kitchen on January 30.

A time capsule to be opened 100 years from now will be placed in the new South 40 House this spring. The capsule will include many items that showcase today’s University life and culture, including letters from Chancellor Mark Wrighton, Vice Chancellor for Students James McLeod, Dean of Students Justin Carroll and various student leaders.

While long lines and waits are not trademarks of Washington University, any student entering a dining area on campus during its busiest hours may be met with a disarray of […]

In the pages of Student Life and elsewhere, the University’s dining services have been criticized for a seemingly sub-par performance to start the 2009-2010 school year. At the new South 40 dining facilities, service has been lacking, and several favorite items have been cut, leading students to register complaints about the menu and design.