With the dining hall being a staple in many Seton Hall students’ daily lives, those who frequent the space have developed strong opinions. From freshman to senior, the dining hall experiences are diverse.
Uzma Jamal, a freshman biology major, said she comes to the dining hall around three times a day, but it depends on how much food she has left in her dorm from home.
“At the end of the day, I’m still paying for it, so why not get my money’s worth?” Jamal said.
Because she has certain restrictions on her diet, Jamal said her options are limited to the halal section, but the food offered is not optimal.
“I think the effort in the halal and vegan sections is lacking,” Jamal said. “If you look at the regular sections, I feel like they have stuff there the whole time and a variety of food, but in the halal and vegan section, they have the same things over and over again, and half the time people don’t even take it because it’s not the best.”
The quality and variety of food in the halal section is what Jamal said is what needs the most improvement.
Halal food comes from the Islamic tradition, in which people who follow the dietary law must only consume foods considered “halal.” These foods are subjected to a variety of regulations, including specific slaughter methods for meats, sanitation regulations, along with the exclusion of “unlawful” foods, which include carnivorous and amphibious animal meat, alcohol, and processed foods that include additives like gelatin.
“A lot of the time they don’t even have meat, and what is the point of a halal section if you’re not going to have meat?” Jamal said. “It defeats the whole purpose.”
However, Jamal said she is happy sushi is served most days of the week, since it serves as her backup plan if there is nothing appetizing that meets her dietary restrictions.
“The only thing [in the dining hall] that I can eat and I’m never disappointed with is the sushi,” Jamal said.
While he doesn’t have any dietary restrictions, Ara Asoyan, a freshman physics major, said he often finds himself visiting the vegan station to balance his meals.
“I think there’s a good amount of options with the vegan station, but it is a small station compared to everything else,” Asoyan said.
Asoyan said he would like to see more cultural foods on the menu, because it would be “cool.”
“Personally, I’d want some Armenian food,” Asoyan said. “I know it’s hard to target a specific culture, but maybe they could have a day or week for [foods from] different cultures.”
Gourmet Dining Services did not respond to The Setonian for a comment.
Leo Chu, a senior anthropology and biology major, is a commuter and says he uses the dining hall when he does not pack lunch but is on campus to work.
“It is the most convenient access to food, and given I am a double major, I don’t have much time for other options,” Chu said. “Food is food, and maybe it’s because I am a senior and I’m exhausted by other things, but I don’t have any complaints.”
Chu said one of his favorite things the dining hall offers is the seasonal treats, specifically during Christmas time.
“It’s kind of a downtime in the year, when everything is cold and exhausting, so I really appreciate the dining hall offering things like doughnuts, cupcakes, and cookies to keep students going,” Chu said.
Chu said his exposure to Chinese desserts was a major part of his childhood and turned into a form of comfort food that is lacking in the dining hall.
“If the dining hall could find a way to bring in cultural desserts that’d be amazing,” Chu said. “I’m sure it would be difficult or costly, but I would love to have a section of desserts like mochi and egg tarts, something besides doughnuts and ice cream.”
Justin Lotito, a senior communication studies major, said he comes to the dining hall three times a day at a minimum, while Floey Seals, a senior biology major, said she is the opposite and only uses the dining hall around five times a week.
“We both live on campus still, so the dining hall is the main option,” Seals said. “But if when friends are like, ‘Let’s go eat,’ I’m always wanting to go somewhere else.”
As for a specific time, they look forward to the dining hall, Seals and Lotito both said Open House days are when they know the dining hall food will be good.
“That’s when they have the food the dining hall knows that students want,” Seals said.
Lotito said he enjoys the good vibes and cleanliness of the dining hall.
“I am on a first name basis with a lot of the workers, and they are awesome,” Lotito said. “They do a good a really good job of cleaning and the conveyor belt does wonders for trash.”
Seals also said that students should get more creative with their meals in the dining hall.
“Some of my best meals here have come from zipping around and putting some of everything on my plate,” Seals said. “Don’t be afraid to stop at the Asian station, or go to the features station and then head to the Halal station.”
Seals appreciates that the dining hall offers many options, but also points out that there is a lot of food that goes to waste because students do not eat it.
“I think a solution to a lot of problems would be to eliminate some of the foods that sit out for long times and replace them with foods that students want more,” Seals said.
One food Lotito said he wants to see less of is pork.
“It feels like pork is the main protein option every day for some reason,” Lotito said. “I miss the chicken fingers or chicken nuggets being here instead.”
Last month, the dining hall reintroduced chicken nuggets into the regular menu, offering them every Wednesday at the Chef’s Table, and they are also available occasionally throughout the week for “in-between” meals, meals that are not at standard times.
Myles Robinson, a sophomore international relations and diplomacy major, said he often comes to the dining hall at the same time every day.
“There’s a structured chillness to it,” Robinson said. “When it’s midday or noon, I try to avoid [the dining hall] because it’s too much for me.”
Robinson said he sticks to the burgers and fries as his go-to meal.
“I can’t speak on a lot of the food, but the quality is disappointing to say the least,” Robinson said. “I’m not saying this place needs to have five-star burgers, but I’d like to see better burgers because I love the American diet.”
When Robinson is not in the mood for a burger, he said the only other thing he grabs is the apples.
“They’re the only thing I’ve been able to eat consistently here,” Robinson said.
Robinson said if he had advice to give to incoming students, he’d tell them to “be prepared to buy your own food.”
Contrary to Robinson's sentiments, Kari Kaita, a sophomore biology major, said she comes to the dining hall for every meal and she enjoys the food.
“I think this semester it’s a lot better,” Kaita said. “I find myself eating more in the dining hall rather than Uber Eats-ing stuff. My only complaint is that there aren’t chicken nuggets every day and if we could bring back the Coke products, that would be great.”
Seals also commented on the switch from Coca-Cola to Pepsi. The Setonian previously reported on this change in August.
“The loss of the Coke products has been really detrimental to me personally," Seals said. “I would run in between classes to steal a cup of Diet Coke, so it’s a negative change for me.”
One of the other things Kaita said she enjoys about the dining hall is her experience with the workers.
“The staff make it a lot more enjoyable,” Kaita said. “Everyone’s really nice and they always talk to you and say hi to you, which is nice to have.”
She mentioned a specific worker named Calla, who “has always been really friendly when we walk in.”
Out of the food options, Kaita said she often frequents the soup and vegan stations, while also enjoying a sweet treat every now and then.
“I’m a big fan of cake, so the Tasty Treat Thursdays are one of my favorites,” Kaita said.
Kayla Melidones, a junior social and behavioral science major, echoed Kaita’s comments about the friendly dining hall staff.
“They are very sweet, very welcoming, very homey,” Melidones said. “I can see they are hardworking and definitely doing their best for us.”
As a commuter, Melidones said she comes to the dining hall three days a week.
Over the years, Melidones said she sees the dining hall trying to make improvements, but she would not say the improvements are doing what she intended them to be.
“There’s definitely an effort,” Melidones said. “If I could have anything, I would want something like the pasta station, but like, let me cook my own filet mignon.”
Another suggestion Melidones said she has to improve the dining hall experience is by redesigning the room altogether, describing the environment as “dingy” and that it “could use a makeover.”
“I feel like it’s so gray,” Melidones said. “There are so many windows, but where is the sun? The lighting makes me feel like I’m in a hospital.”
Although the dining hall may have its flaws according to some students, Kaita says the food there is worth exploring.
For those who have not experienced the dining hall or gone to every station, “try everything,” Kaita said. “Don’t limit yourself to just one station because you don’t know what the other stations have.”
Solomon Lee is a writer for The Setonian’s Features section. He can be reached at solomon.lee@student.shu.edu.
