Feelings about the new “Summerfields Bistro” among returning students seem to be ambivalent, at best.
What used to make Summerfields worthwhile (aside from convenience for those living in the Butts/around Lawn Avenue), like the all-you-can-eat salad bar and the rotating menu of protein dinner options which quirkily corresponded to the four classical elements, has been replaced by a somewhat bland la carte fast food menu.
According to the Argus, even the Summerfields staff are annoyed:
According to Chef Charlie Morehead, Summerfield’s attendance dropped significantly over the first two weeks.
“The students don’t like the change and neither do we,” Morehead said. “We liked making home cooked meals and the concept was dropped.”
If you plan on continuing to eat at Summerfields but don’t like your options, email new Resident District Manager Michael Strumpf (mstrumpf@cafebonappetit.com), or the returning Summerfields Manager John Esteves (joao.esteves@cafebonappetit.com), or at least complain to your local WSA rep enough that they start to do something about it.
I’m just conveying what was brought up when i spoke to John. In any case, the argument seems invalid.
I’m just conveying what was brought up when i spoke to John. In any case, the argument seems invalid.
The concept of Summerfields becoming the on-campus WesWings seems ridiculous to me, especially as WesWings is basically across the street from Summerfields.
The concept of Summerfields becoming the on-campus WesWings seems ridiculous to me, especially as WesWings is basically across the street from Summerfields.
Um.. “on-campus WesWings?” WesWings IS on campus. 156 High St is a campus dorm. WesWings has a contract with Wesleyan to provide ON campus dining through the use of meal plan points.
Um.. “on-campus WesWings?” WesWings IS on campus. 156 High St is a campus dorm. WesWings has a contract with Wesleyan to provide ON campus dining through the use of meal plan points.
I don’t even mind so much for lunch, since I can actually spend $5-6 and get lunch there now, which is kind of nice. Dinner is the real problem though.
I don’t even mind so much for lunch, since I can actually spend $5-6 and get lunch there now, which is kind of nice. Dinner is the real problem though.
I care very much about the salad bar, as well as the desert and bread stations, but you’re right, max, the selection right now is offensively poor. There are, what, like 5 dinner options? inexcusable.The benefits of summerfields last year were two fold: it offered sometimes tepid but sometimes delicious variety when no other dining option did (weswings to a limited but very pricey extent in the form of specials) and it provided a reasonably safe backup resort. That is to say, if all the other food on campus was terrible, you could be guaranteed a good salad and some great bread at summerfields.I spoke to the Summerfields manager, who was wonderfully cordial, and he mentioned that the changes happened for two main reasons: Students were taking too much and wasting food, and that students had asked for a weswings on-campus alternative.If the first grievance is legitimate, then there are other solutions beside this major overhaul. One could give out smaller to-go containers, have someone by the door checking for conspicuous wastefulness, etc.The second complaint I can hardly believe. No one I’ve talked to wants an on-campus weswings, and even if they did, im sure they wouldnt have been willing to give up the variety of summerfields’ rotating menu.I speak, mind you, on behalf of the dinner menu. I have not yet been there for lunch, but the lunch menu I can be more lenient towards, due to the fact that its much larger that the dinner menu, and that lunch can often be a more transient affair anyway.Summerfields was my favorite place to eat last year, but if they plan on maintaining these ridiculous changes then I’m afraid it wont see much traffic. My heart weeps for the weekly pasta nights, the less common chili, and the rare but famously good london broil.
I care very much about the salad bar, as well as the desert and bread stations, but you’re right, max, the selection right now is offensively poor. There are, what, like 5 dinner options? inexcusable.
The benefits of summerfields last year were two fold: it offered sometimes tepid but sometimes delicious variety when no other dining option did (weswings to a limited but very pricey extent in the form of specials) and it provided a reasonably safe backup resort. That is to say, if all the other food on campus was terrible, you could be guaranteed a good salad and some great bread at summerfields.
I spoke to the Summerfields manager, who was wonderfully cordial, and he mentioned that the changes happened for two main reasons: Students were taking too much and wasting food, and that students had asked for a weswings on-campus alternative.
If the first grievance is legitimate, then there are other solutions beside this major overhaul. One could give out smaller to-go containers, have someone by the door checking for conspicuous wastefulness, etc.
The second complaint I can hardly believe. No one I’ve talked to wants an on-campus weswings, and even if they did, im sure they wouldnt have been willing to give up the variety of summerfields’ rotating menu.
I speak, mind you, on behalf of the dinner menu. I have not yet been there for lunch, but the lunch menu I can be more lenient towards, due to the fact that its much larger that the dinner menu, and that lunch can often be a more transient affair anyway.
Summerfields was my favorite place to eat last year, but if they plan on maintaining these ridiculous changes then I’m afraid it wont see much traffic. My heart weeps for the weekly pasta nights, the less common chili, and the rare but famously good london broil.
“overpriced fast food”- that’s what WesWings is for. Summerfields was a great alternative for home-style meals!
“overpriced fast food”- that’s what WesWings is for. Summerfields was a great alternative for home-style meals!
I don’t particularly care about the salad bar, but the entire selection is pathetic. Burgers, quesedillas, and that’s pretty much it. Overpriced fast food.
I don’t particularly care about the salad bar, but the entire selection is pathetic. Burgers, quesedillas, and that’s pretty much it. Overpriced fast food.
Jen, I forwarded the e-mail that I originally wrote to them about to you.
Jen, I forwarded the e-mail that I originally wrote to them about to you.
I’m meeting on Thursday with some administrators and Michael Strumpf, so if you have any specific dining issues you would like me to bring up with them, please send me an email at jliebschutz at wesleyan.edu.Thanks!Jen, Finance and Facilities Committee Chair of the WSA
I’m meeting on Thursday with some administrators and Michael Strumpf, so if you have any specific dining issues you would like me to bring up with them, please send me an email at jliebschutz at wesleyan.edu.
Thanks!
Jen, Finance and Facilities Committee Chair of the WSA
Completely agreed for a whole host of reasons.I sent an e-mail about this a few weeks ago to both of them but haven’t heard back yet–I’ll forward it to the WSA.
Completely agreed for a whole host of reasons.
I sent an e-mail about this a few weeks ago to both of them but haven’t heard back yet–I’ll forward it to the WSA.