Changes at Sodexo – Yay or Nay?
Sodexo’s new live cuisine station. Photo by Sindhuja
The new semester brought a new chef at Sodexo, and many folks on campus have noticed the difference. Some say it’s good. Others think it’s just okay.
Abdul, a sophomore from Pakistan, feels there are more desserts and vegetarian choices. He’s glad that people with dietary restrictions have more to eat now. He’d love to see more South Asian food, especially since there are so many international students from that region. Tenzing, a sophomore and Vice President of the International Club, agrees that the food tastes better but thinks the lunch rush can get crazy sometimes.
One junior from Nevada, is happy about the live cooking station. He’s seen more variety than last year and hopes it keeps going. Ismail, a senior from Nigeria, says it’s much better than his first semester here. Before, he’d eat just to fill his stomach, but now he actually enjoys the meals. However, he notices that dinners seem to get less effort than lunches.
Aiden Baer, a freshman from Clear Lake, likes that he can always grab burgers and pizza, though he wishes the lines and utensils were handled better. Another freshman who arrived this semester, was impressed in the first week but feels the quality slipped after a while. He hopes dinner hours can be extended so he won’t starve later at night.
Dinner of shrimp fried rice with pasta and roasted chicken, garlic bread, cheese pizza and muffin
Jerome says he doesn’t dine here too often, but he sees big changes with the new station setup. He does notice that sometimes there aren’t enough forks or spoons during busy hours. One student from Ethiopia also enjoys the burgers more than before and appreciates the new tastes Sodexo has to offer. And a student from Shawnee thinks the main meals are still a bit repetitive, even though there are more options than before.
Two students, both juniors from Sioux Falls, say the food has definitely improved, but they keep seeing the same meals repeated. One of them also pointed out that plates aren’t always super clean. Meanwhile, a Kazakh student who follows a Muslim diet would love to see labels for Halal or vegan options. He understands that a full Halal station might be too much, but it’d be nice to know what’s in the food. One vegan student also said there’s better variety for non-meat eaters, but more could be done.
The Student Senate President, Olamide Olosunde, sums it up: overall, people appreciate the improvements. A part-time Sodexo student worker named Nuthana from India says she’s seen positive changes behind the scenes, especially with the new chef introducing fresh menus and making sure the staff feels involved. Overall, it’s a step up from before, and most students are positive about the changes. Students just hope it keeps getting better.
