December 15, 2003:
Q: I couldn't help but read the nasty napkin message from the really pissed off student- i wanted to make sure i replied and let dining services know that the unthankful asswipe who wrote that should be asked to work in a kitchen at a college, and cook up a meal for thousands and see what he or she can put on the table. secondly this kid should also make sure when they go home for the holidays, they learn from theyre parents or loved ones how one learns to be thankful for the food provided to them, and if the taste does not suit them then maybe they would learn to communicate in a more mature and less agressively psychotic manner. this child has clearly proved her or she is very much lacking very much the basics skills of respect, manners, courtesy basic people skills...i could go on really but im thinking were all getting the point here. so i really hope this person reads the responses put up by you (bates dining) and the rest of the students that go to school there who should be uphalled with the poor skilled writer of that nasty email- obviously the 34,000$ a year education...or more is not helping this kid learn anything about basic social skills- lets just say you guys at bates dining work your butts off and as a student i appreciated all you guys did (and trust me you did a kick ass job) so thanks alot for everything, i know the majority of students are thankful too and appreciate all you do, keep up the good work!!
A: Thanks you for your support.

December 12, 2003:
Q: I absolutely love the mushroom pesto pizza, but you guys only have it for lunch... could we have it on the dinner rotation sometime?
A: No problem.

December 11, 2003:
Q: first off, sorry about the people who have been incredibly rude and ungrateful. you all do an amazing job and the vast majority of us are very pleased. anyway, either during or right before fall break, there was a tiny jar of muddy buddies next to the salad bar. never seen that in commons before, but they were so delicious i was wondering if you could bring that back sometime. on another chocolate note, you might not want to offer three chocolate brownie selections in one night like tonight. oreo, peanut butter, and cream cheese brownies are three of your best desserts...split them up to separate nights and chocolate addicts will thank you. thanks so much.
A: Thanks for your kind works. Not sure what your are talking about " muddy buddies" but will follow up. The reason we choose those desserts tonight was in preparation for the Junk food Jamboree. Thanks for noticing. Have a good break!

December 11, 2003:
Q: I'm really upset about the comments posted on December 7th. I think the food at commons is wonderful, and compared to other schools that I've visited Bates does a great job. The majority of Bates students do not share the same views as that student. Thanks for the great work!
A: Thanks for your support.

December 11, 2003:
Q: What happened to apple blintzes at breakfast? I LOVE those...can they come back? Keep up the good work, you all are great.
A: We have been having trouble getting the apple blintz's on a regular4 basis. If you have noticed we have been using an apple turnover instead- jut this past Sunday in fact.

December 10, 2003:
Q: Dear Napkin Board, As an alum of Bates, I was psyched to see that there is a "virtual" napkin board. However, I was bummed when I saw that some of the comments made by students are not only rude and distasteful, but they are not useful to you or dining services (I'm thinking specifically of the laxatives napkin). Kudos to you for dealing with those lame napkins. But, there seems to be a lack of spark and humor in your responses to all the napkins. In my day (and it wasn't long ago, I assure you) the napkin responses evoked laughter from all at best and a courtesy laugh from all at worst. Humor the alums who care about the vitality of the napkin board! thanks, napkin person (guy? girl?). -disgruntled napkin board fan
A: Dear Alum, Thanks for your words of support. The humor has not left the napkin board, that is the real one located as you leave Commons, though I'm sad to has never existed on the virtual one. Though I like to think I have a varied skill set, witty written responses are not in my bag of tricks. I have an undercover student who helps me with the "real napkins" but alas I forced to respond the virtual ones myself. Please bear with me and I will try to sharpen my bantering skills in the future. Thanks for writing. Have a happy Holiday

December 10, 2003:
Q: We LOVE the french dressing and aren't huge fans of the other dressings. Can you please put the regular French out more often?!! Thanks.
A: Thanks

December 10, 2003:
Q: I would have to disagree with the comments lately on the napkin >board. Starting on Sunday evening, I've noticed a strange and somewhat >dramatic increase in the overall quality of food from Commons. The >chicken and fish have been moist, the rice good, and the rest top >notch. Keep up the good work!
A: Thanks. We were beginning to think that we couldn't do anything right. Have a happy holiday

December 10, 2003:
Q: I don't mind commons, i think you guys put in a lot of effort, just sometimes the effort is misguided. I think if we have a vegan bar we should have a regular food bar, like with normal people foods: hotdogs, ribs, chili, etc. And some nice cold beers. I know you try hard, and that there are lots of vegans at Bates, but there are normal people too, who want ribs and beer, i promise, they just aren't vocal, like vegans tend to be. Thanks.
A: Thanks for writing. We do have a regular food bar, it is called the main line. On the main line we serve all those delicious things, on a daily basis, that you list below. In addition we have done several adventures in dining focused on " meat eaters" in the crowd. In fact tonight we are doing a late night exam breaker "junk food jamboree" which will feature wings of all flavors, onion rings and milk shakes. As for the beer, I'll have to get back to you on that one. Have a happy holiday

December 9, 2003:
Q: It is December 9th, 2003. I just checked the Bates Dining website and >took a look at the hours for lunch. It states: 10:30-1:30 (for a hot >lunch) and 10:30-2:30 (for a deli lunch). But apparently I must have >deleted an announce email that said differently or perhaps today was >special for some reason, but it was not yet 1:45pm when the food in the >deli station was being removed. At first it was just the utensils used >for picking up the food. So, a few people resorted to picking out lunch >meat using their hands (until I pointed out that someone that it was gross >to do that and told them to use a fork.) But then, AS STUDENTS WERE STILL >GETTING FOOD, AT 1:50ish, the lady continued to remove food. I wouldnt >mind this, except that maybe you should consider changing your hours so >that it's in sync with what's really going on. Thanks.
A: If you are referring to the high ceiling deli or the low ceiling deli? If it was the low it should have been closing, the High deli is the one open till 2:30p.

December 9, 2003:
Q: I just had a small question. Forgive me for being so blunt: Are you aware that the sir who makes sure that the trays are going back into the dishroom properly at dinner time does not say "hi" to a certain group of people? Now, as to avoid certain explanations, I've taken note and I've also asked a number of different people about this same topic. It's a known fact that he does not say hi to males, black, white, purple or blue. Ok, that's been "explained" to me by several people and they all have said that it's due to the fact that he was assaulted by a group of males not too long ago. It's a known fact that he does not say hi to black people, or basically any group thats not caucasian. At first i was reluctant to really believe this, but actually it's true. Now I understand that in the grand scheme of things what does a little "hi" here and there REALLY matter and I understand that whoever is reading this has bigger fish to fry (maybe literally? ok bad joke, sorry.) but I just wanted to make sure that [your name here] was aware of this phenomenon. Here was the situation that prompted this email: in the line to put our trays up, i was behind 1 of my roommates and in front of the other. He said hi to the roommate in front of me. Then, as i went to say hi he turned his head away. Then, as the roommate in back of me went, he gave the ol' "look down look up" and then said hi to her. That's only one time though and besides there are a million things to explain that, right? Maybe. But you see, that happens everytime, and to everyone who isnt...sorry... white. just a small pet peeve i suppose, or maybe this is all my imagination. i apologize for the length.
A: The individual you are speaking about is Gordon. As with many individuals who work in Commons, Gordon is a special needs case. While I'm not able , for obvious privacy reasons, to go into specifics about this case I can tell you a little about his life which might help you understand his situation. Gordon has been with the College for over 15 years. Gordon does not look at this as his main job, but rather collecting bottles, straws, pens, bottle caps as his main job. You might see him about town at all hours of the night and day picking up bottles. When you talk to Gordon about money, how much his rent is, he converts it to bottles and tells you how many bottles it will take to reach that sum. He has several storage bind in which he keeps his bottles and he pays all his monthly bills by changing in bottles. About 2 year ago Gordon had to move from an apartment he had been in for 20ish years. During this move, which we helped him with, we found out that he had more then enough money in the bank, he never spends what he makes at Bates because he doesn't grasp that the check he gets can be covered to money, to buy the building he was in. While he doesn't understand the concept of money, he can tell you the stats of any major league baseball player or football player. Gordon really does not mean to discriminate, but rather it is out of a sense of fear that he chooses not to speak with certain individuals. When I first came here, I had blonde hair and Gordon would not speak with me, in fact he would not even be in the same room with me. Since then though I have been able to get him to understand that I mean no harm. I hope this helps you get a perspective on who Gordon is.

December 9, 2003:
Q: The chicken cordon bleu is absolutely gross. Its never hot, and there is a cold slimy chunk of cheese in the middle. Why are these served every week, when something that is extremely popular like chicken parmagiana is served every three weeks. You guys really need to get your act together, please, because the dining has gone downhill every semester for the past 3 years.
A: The reason that this was added to the menu again, though we had taken it off, was because this past semester there were many many requests for it. We can certainly out chicken par on more often.

December 8, 2003:
Q: I just read the December 7th napkin attacking Bates Dining for a myriad of reasons, and I am appalled by both the accusations made and the tone in which the individual made them. It is impossible to please all of the people all of the time, especially when there are well over a thousand of them, and I for one truly appreciate the extensive effort Bates Dining goes to in its attempts to satisfy all of us. True, there are some things at Commons that I would do differently, but I understand that I am only one of 1500 or so, and I also know that Bates Dining is receptive to constructive feedback. You have an impossible task, and I feel horrible that you receive such nasty and unnecessary comments in thanks. Please know that not all the students feel like the author of that napkin. The majority of us are incredibly grateful for all of the hard work of the numerous wonderful individuals at Bates Dining who take such good care of us. For that and more, thank you.
A: Thank you for your kind words of support. As you indicated, we invite and encourage feedback as it is the only true measure of how you as a consumer feel about our services and how we can change them to better meet your needs.

December 8, 2003:
Q: I miss the actual veggie burgers in the fridge :(
A: They will be here tomorrow.

December 7, 2003:
Q: Your comments here. how in the name of jesus can you animals think you can boil disgusting pieces of chicken, sprinkle some shitty spices on them, give them a cute name and think people between the ages of 18 and 22 will enjoy them? who the hell do you think you are fooling? we are not elementary students nor are we affected by a 3rd 21st chromosome, so its about time you stop feeding us like we enjoy this shit. can you seriously tell me that you people cook the crap you serve to us and think we will like it? I mean, seriously, have you looked at it? moving on. your selection of food at dinner is a disgrace to every somolian and nigerian. terrible food is one thing, but you don't even give us the option eating anything else. for $36000 a year, (which i'm sure is more than you people earn every half century) we should be at least be entitled to a sandwich bar. and what's up with the laxitives? how would you like to to take 7 disgusting shits between the time you eat dinner and the time you go to sleep. incase you are nto intelligent enough to figure out that this sucks, let me assure you it does. nobody likes it when their asshole burns, so its a good thing that happens to me all the time around here. i'll send the rest of my complaints about this half assed, penny pinching school to elaine tuttle(?) hansen.
A: First, let me be very clear that there are no laxatives used in any foods produced in Commons. This is a untrue "urban" legend. Not only would it be unethical, but incase you are unaware of it we are under tight scrutiny, as is any college, by the Health Department who checks the contents of our food regularly. Given this fact, perhaps you should make an appointment at the Health Center because the symptoms you so ineloquently describe below could be indicators of a more serious condition As for menu selection there are many, many other options besides " disgusting pieces of chicken". Last night there was the past bar with 6 sauces, three pasta's and a casserole, Vegetable Paella, Tofu w/ Red Wine and Ginger Glaze, Hearty Beef Stew, and Baked Cod w/ a Dill Crust. This is in addition to an assortment of vegetables and starches, the usual 32 plus item salad bar ( which have deli meat on them) the 36 flavors of cereal ( for those who like breakfast for dinner), fresh fruit, bagels, assorted speciality items in the vegan cooler etc. I do not argue that we can do a better job with the chicken and are in fact working on a whole new menu for next semester, but to accuse Commons of not providing options or tampering with your food is unfounded and unfair. Lastly, the tone of your e-mail would indicate that you have the impression that Dining Services employees are uneducated, unsophisticated, uncaring and generally neanderthal, for this I feel sorry. There are many highly educated, motivated, caring individuals who choose food service as their career and that makes them no less important in the larger scheme of things then the doctor or the lawyer. In fact at Bates you will find, like no where else I have worked, a sense of deep caring on the part of the staff for every student here. This caring goes far beyond the daily preparation and serving of food, to the lives of the students. I would invite the opportunity to meet with you in person and discuss your concerns. I thank you for taking the time to bring forward the issues you are having. Please contact ne directly if you would like to meet.

December 7, 2003:
Q: There are several variables that affect the view which the students, and people in general, have of the food they eat. These include such categories as taste, appearance, and overall quality. The "chicken caesar" that was served at dinner this evening may in fact have been one of the poorest quality items of food which I have ever consumed. I will begin by talking about its appearance and overall quality. It looked completely unappetizing. Chicken breast soaking in white stuff. And that was in fact what it was, since they were chicken breasts that had been dosed with caesar dressing. You could at least marinate the chicken or if you didnt feel like that you could have grilled it. Either of the two would have been successful attempts to increase the quality. Also, I think you may want to boil the chicken for a little bit longer time. My piece was rather pinkish in the middle. The taste was not to hot either. It had a rather bland but not good at the same time taste! And the texture of the chicken was strange since it was boiled and topped with dressing. I don't mean to go on so long, but I feel that with a few minor improvements the appearance, taste and overall quality of the food could be greatly improved and we would all be a lot happier.
A: I have checked into last nights chicken and it was in fact not made per the recipe. You are correct in your assessment of the situation and corrective action will be taken. Thanks you for bring this to my attention.

December 7, 2003:
Q: I'm a regular user of the bag lunch program that the den offers. I was wondering if it would be possible not to add orange juice, or especially grapefruit juice, to the lunches? I mean, those are breakfast drinks, not lunch drinks... Especially the grapefruit juice, though.
A: No problem, we can make that change.

December 4, 2003:
Q: popovers at harvest dinner = MMMMM can we please have them sometime again?
A: I'll see what we can do.

December 4, 2003:
Q: it would be pretty hot if you guys let pablo cook up some more of that buffalo chicken pizza. that is real good. and even buffalo chicken in the salad bar some more. it is a great alternative. thanks
A: No problem. Glad you liked it

December 4, 2003:
Q: The Asian Noodle Soup Bowl is AWESOME!!!!!
A: Thanks

December 2, 2003:
Q: I just wanted to say that I think the food at Bates is wonderful and the dining service is doing a great job. The only thing I want to ask for is more eggplant parmesan. I miss it so much!!!!
A: Thanks and the parm is on it's way.