The Limit Dilemma

The Limit Dilemma
by Dave Hines, originally published October 5th, 1999

We've all seen this scenario: After 10 minutes in line outside the Dining Hall, and another 10 waiting to get to the food lines, you get to the head of the line, you get to the head of the line, and surprise, you can only have one or two of what looks good!

When this year began, I wanted to cut the Dining Hall some slack in some of the service areas, as we were dealing with more students than we were expecting, and most of the management staff was new, but we're a month and a half in, and the whole serving limit issue is not improving. Now some of you weigh 98 pounds, and eat half a leaf of lettuce and ice water for a meal, and you guys can go read Baker's column. He's probably funny this week.

For the rest of us with normal, it can be very frustrating. Now I've always had a bit of a soft spot for Food Services on campus. Back in my lowly first year here, I worked in the old Caf, but it's getting to the point where one has to say "enough is enough!" Let's look at the two reasons I've hears as to why this is occurring.

Waste Prevention: This has some merit. Limits started with chicken fingers when people were taking enough to assemble a whole chicken at their table. However, when the limites are one or two (or the now infamous "six raviolis"), this seems absurdly small, and punishing those who plan on eating what they take because of those few who don't.

Shortage Prevention: In talking to other students about this issue, some have complained about the Dining Hall running out of a certain item in the later hours. Limits are not the solution to this. Accurate forecasting by those in charge of food procurement is.

In short, I feel cheated by limits. When we signed up for these meal plans, we were told that the Dining Hall worked on an "all you can eat" basis. One of the main effects of these limits is that someone who has a limited amount of time for a meal will not have enough time to get back in line, and this is unacceptable. Forcing someone to have to wait 10 or 15 minutes more in line is absurd, telling college age students to "eat that, then you can have some more" is demeaning, and policies meant to deny students the terms they were promised (all you can eat) are unfair. This policy needs to change, and as their customers, we need to let the Dining Hall know that this is how we feel.