Dining gets overhaul

Campus restaraunts get new menus and a new meal plan

FOOD — Students eagerly wait in line at the new Wholly Habaneros restaraunt in order to get their hands on burritos and quesadillas. Photo credit: Courtney Russo

FOOD — Students eagerly wait in line at the new Wholly Habaneros restaraunt in order to get their hands on burritos and quesadillas. Photo credit: Courtney Russo

Liberty dining has changed, and it is for the benefit of the students, faculty and staff. As the fall semester began last week, students were welcomed back with a remodeled version of Liberty’s main and largest residential eatery, the Reber-Thomas Dining Hall.

The renovation of the dining hall, which was completed over the summer, contains five additional eating stations, healthier food options, and
additional seating.

Thomas Cambeletta, the Director of Food Operations at Liberty, said the plan to remodel the dining hall was a result of feedback from the students.

“I went to different schools and I saw a lot of what those students enjoyed during their dining experience,” Cambeletta said. “After visiting these universities and listening to the students here (at Liberty), it became apparent that things needed to change.”

The dining hall, affectionately nicknamed “The Rot,” now includes new food options such as Training Table, geared toward student athletes, but available to all students. Other stations include an all-day breakfast bar, a home-style barbeque station, and a coffee and smoothie area. Previously existing stations such as Main Dish and StoneFire: Pizza & More now have two entry lines so students can be served quicker.

Dining —New options added to the Reber Thomas Dining Hall. Photo credit: Taylor Anderson

Dining —New options added to the Reber Thomas Dining Hall. Photo credit: Taylor Anderson

The changes have also brought on a new visual experience, as students are able to see their food being prepared in front of them. According to Cambeletta, the redesign eliminated several walls throughout the cafeteria in order to maximize space.

“We took down all of the walls so that when students stand up, and wherever they are, they can see all over the hall,” Cambeletta said.

In addition, Liberty was recently ranked No. 7 on the Top Ten Gluten Free Accommodating Colleges of 2014, according to the Liberty Dining Website.

The healthy, new and traditional stations come with a new dining plan implemented this semester. Instead of the choice of various limited dining plans, all residential students follow “The Freedom Plan.” According to the Liberty Dining website, The Freedom Plan offers students unlimited meals throughout the week at the Reber-Thomas Dining Hall as well as The Hill City Bistro, now located at the Annex.

Sophomore Karen Starkey said that she enjoys the flexibility of the plan.

“I think it’s great that we are now able to enjoy more meals throughout the day, which means smaller portions,” Starkey said. “Instead of eating three huge meals a day, we have the choice to cut our portion sizes down.”

Another sophomore, Jonathan Gonzalez, also liked the changes.

“Food quality seems to have increased and the more open floor plan makes the (Reber-Thomas Dining Hall) feel bigger, brighter and more inviting than before,” Gonzalez said.

Besides new additions to residential eateries, the various retail locations on campus have also gone through significant changes. According to Cambeletta, Doc’s Diner has added 40 seats to the restaurant to facilitate the flow of incoming students. Customers now also have the option for a gourmet-style, to-go area.

The Tilley Student Center in Green Hall has also expanded dining choices for students. Joining SubConnection and Chick-fil-A, students are now able to enjoy an indoor food truck experience with the addition of Wholly Habaneros, which serves Mexican-style meals. Bella Trattoria, a new station located next to Chic-Fil-A, offers Italian-inspired cuisine. Cambeletta said that the additions have brought positive feedback.

“Just talking to the students, seeing their faces light up, getting an email, or just seeing their responses on Twitter, is the best part for me,” Cambeletta said.
In addition to happier students, Cambeletta foresees the dining improving the campus overall.

“The redesign of these facilities has added a sense of community to the dining experience,” Cambeletta said. “My hope is that dining will be a part of why the students return to Liberty.”

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