Dining is a core part of campus life and is important to student well-being. It should be a priority for administration. One year ago, the food felt authentic. From steaming pork buns at the chef’s table to pizza that tasted like it was from a brick oven, dining services satisfied students and faculty.  

However, since Sodexo’s contract with Tulane ended, food has become noticeably worse. The same foods are served for the entire day, lacking variety. People with dietary restrictions are often forced to eat nothing but pizza every time they go to the Malkin Sacks Commons.   

Soup and main dishes are frequently overly salty, nearly rendering them inedible. The burgers, a staple of cafeteria food, were downgraded — the buns are plain white bread instead of brioche. One night, sliders a third of the size of a normal burger were served. I recall students joking about how you can fit five burgers on one plate.  

Another major issue is variety. The same four or five dishes are often served in rotation. Fried catfish, some variation of chicken and rice, fried chicken and beef are staples. Last year, different dishes were served, such as lasagna, beef stroganoff and orange chicken. Today, the same pizzas and identical rotation of protein, soup and salads are served.   

The greatest loss the Commons suffered was Chef’s Table. Previously, different guest chefs from local restaurants would do “takeovers,” allowing students to sample their food. In addition, Chef’s Table presented different, artistic dishes for lunch and dinner, such as fried gyoza and salmon filets. Chef’s Table, renamed “Maestro,” rarely puts out food. When there is food, it’s more often than not a repetitive salad. 

In addition to variety, accessibility is also a major issue. Two students all said that during the hours of 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., there is often a lack of hot food, and there are only burgers, salad, pizza and sandwiches. Some students are unable to go at other times due to classes. One station serving rotating hot food during all hours would make dining throughout the day a more consistent experience. The Surfing Pelican, previously Provisions on the Thirtieth Parallel, got rid of two shelves worth of food, reducing the produce and almost rendering it barren.  

The Lavin-Bernick Center for University Life also suffers from inaccessibility. On Friday and Saturday, when the Commons has reduced serving hours, most of LBC is closed, forcing students unsatisfied with the food to eat out. I do not blame students for not wanting to eat the same foods every weekend. To improve variety and make food more accessible for students, meal swipe options should be brought back. Students can not only eat different foods with meal swipes at their own convenience but also have more locations to choose from.   

There are some positive changes. The LBC’s contactless transition seems to have reduced wait times and made getting food more efficient. In addition, Tulane seems to be a lot more responsive to feedback, encouraging students to fill out surveys and offer suggestions. Professor Victor Chen, who eats at the Commons as often as twice a week, describes dining as much more efficient, and holds greater value than the average Uber Eats meal.  

While some aspects of dining have clearly improved, Tulane still has a long way to go. Renaming stations and not actually improving the quality of the food falls short of providing a dining experience students are satisfied with. Presenting more options and making food consistently accessible should be a top priority of the administration.