Students eating in Belk dining hall. Photo taken by Ashe Draxinger
By: Ashe Draxinger
After returning from winter break, students arrived on campus to a major surprise: the dining hall was completely redone. With new floors, furniture, and signage, the dining hall has a whole new look.
Lots of changes regarding seating have been made, including the amount of seats and the range of seating options now available as well as new signage, decorations and flooring.
The dining hall was renovated to improve students’ overall experience by offering different types of seating as well as increasing the number of seats all while updating the dining hall to a more modern, fresh design that would appeal well to the students.
When choosing the color palette, Terri Ratliff, a contract employee working for Sodexo said they “tried to go more with the gray palette and throw in some school colors, which you’ll notice in the booths there’s green.”
Feedback so far has been majority positive regarding the new design of the dining hall, with many students appreciating the added seating and modernized design.
Many students have said that the new addition of seating booths is a highlight of the new design. Students enjoy their color, comfortability, and the options of seating.
“I think my new favorite is the addition of the booths,” said Jacob Trump, a senior majoring in communication.
However, some students have found a few flaws in the new design, particularly the cramped layout.
“I think it’s cramped because if you’re sitting at one of the tables and you go to pull out your chair, it will hit a chair behind you,” said Alyssa Boone, a senior majoring in simulation and game design.
Boone later said it’s also difficult to get to middle seats at the tables when people are sitting on the ends of a table. Other students agreed with Boone saying the dining hall seemed a little cramped in some areas.
Despite some concerns, the renovated design in the dining hall successfully solved many of the previous seating issues/shortages.
“Before this we had only maybe about 110 seats, and now we have 160 something,” said Ratliff.
The updated amount of seating helps with the 30 or so minute lunch span everyone has.
Those working on the renovation in the dining hall were sure to include different seating options such as community (high) tables and booths which were removed a few years ago but added back with the renovation of the dining hall.
Boone also agreed and said “My favorite area of the new layout is the booths as well as the decorations on the wall near the dessert table.”