Changes will be made to the campus food options over winter break, because Sodexho officials plan to replace Sky Ranch Grill in Davies Center with a new brand that will be more flexible in menu choices.
Sodexho, UW-Eau Claire’s food provider since late May, plans to offer all of the new menu items by the start of classes next semester.
Sky Ranch Grill has very strict specifications about what can be offered, Prellwitz said. The new brand name, Spitfire Grill, will be more flexible in introducing new menu items, but the basic format of a fried, fast food place will remain.
“The 99-cent menu took five weeks (to implement),” said Gary Prellwitz, head of Dining Services. “With the new brand, the same change would take only two weeks.”
The announcement of the changes came as a part of an open forum on dining services Tuesday in Davies. The forum was the regular meeting of the Dining Services Committee, which meets weekly and is comprised of students and dining service officials.
The change to a new brand was based on student input about problems with Sky Ranch Grill, Prellwitz said.
Aside from that change, the introduction of sushi and new saute dishes are planned for next semester.
Saute dishes are planned for Pete’s Arena in Davies. The dishes, Prellwitz said, will be vegetables and other ingredients over rice or noodles. Student requests for more vegetarian options was the basis for the new line of food items.
The sushi will be made on campus and packaged for sale in the Marketplace and Little Niagra in Davies, as well as the food court in Hilltop Center.
Sodexho officials agreed to the possibility of providing sushi as a part of their contract with the university, and it will be offered next semester as a pilot program.
The new fast food brand and sushi will be in place when students return, Prellwitz said. There are still some details to work out with the saute dishes, he said, but they should be in place by the start of next semester.
Aside from the changes over winter break, board members voiced their comments on food service and selection at the meeting.
Low attendance at the Dulany Inn also generated conversation among the students and officials.
The image of the Dulany Inn might be turning some students away, said E. Mitchell Kilcrease, director of University Centers and Programs.
“It’s still a perception issue that it is a faculty lounge by students,” Kilcrease said. “We’ve actually had more students than we’ve had historically.”
Junior Jessica Kirchner, a member of the Dining Services committee, mentioned the music played in the cafeteria at lunchtime. She said it is always the same when she eats and she wanted a variety played, or even holiday music.
Prellwitz heard concerns from his employees about playing holiday music.
“Some people on staff are saying, ‘If I hear that all the time, I’ll go crazy,’ ” he said.
When Sodexho started operating at the beginning of the year, Kirchner said the committee received a series of complaints from students.
“We had someone new come each time and complain about Blimpies,” she said. “They always wanted to know why we didn’t have Subway.”
Kirchner said that Subway demanded an exclusive contract lasting over a decade and the option of pre-made subs would not be available.
The volume of complaints decreased as the semester progressed, but board members said there are probably complaints still out there.
“Overall, there may still be complaints and comments. There always will be,” Kirchner said. “If students don’t come to the meetings to express complaints, Sodexho will assume that students are happy with the dining choices.”
