Clinton Dining Hall, Plattsburgh NY

Terrible food, terrible food distribution, food distribution staff handling things as if they have no responsibility, this is one of the bad fruit moldy pictures I found, I can't imagine how much or how much bad food has been eaten by people, and it's hard to imagine that this is the way to deal with the epidemic.

Dining halls tend to be a mixed bag, and in that regard I think Clinton is no different. Thankfully, I find this place has a lot to like, and hopefully will have some of the negatives fixed sooner rather than later.

For one, the staff is really great as a whole. I have had one or two negative interactions during my four semesters (so far) at this college. That's not a bad ratio, all things considered. This is especially true when compared to the numerous awesome moments I've had with several different people who work here. Big shoutouts to Rick and Suzie, both of whom often make my day with their kind words and actions. The facility is gorgeous on the interior, something that I truly think many students here take for granted. The renovations have paid big dividends in providing a hospitable atmosphere for both work and socializing, which is a hard balance to strike. Now the big question is: how's the food?

Well.it depends. Unfortunately, consitency is not this place's strong suit. The staff that are here nearly every day tend to be incredibly accessible, helpful, and dilligent, which translates into the food that they make. The veterans tend to know what they're doing, and when they are manning the grill or the pizza or the pasta, you know what you're getting is going to be solid. Two factors increase the possibility of negative eating experiences here, and those are as follow:

Firstly, staffing is an issue. Those who are here can sometimes be overwhelmed due to the sheer lack of support they have in the labor department. It is hard to have good pizza when the person who's best at making it has to wash dishes and clean tables. This can leave people to man several stations at once, which I don't think is realistically pheasable. It can also shut down stations entirely if there are one or two call-outs.

Secondly, and this is affected by the first issue, the equipment is unreliable. This lends to situations like yesterday evening, where the first dinner service of the semester was offered to the students as they started to finally arrive after summer break. Somehow, even on the first day, the soft serve ice cream machine is broken and never operated throughout the entirety of their hours. Being possibly the most popular piece of the dining hall besides the soda fountain, this is pretty damning. Not to mention that very soda fountain seems to go on the fritz at least once a month, sometimes leaving one of the machines out of order and forcing all those who may be a bit parched to line up for the sole remaining machine.

I do think this place is pretty salvageable. I mean, when running to full capacity it fully earns 4 stars. But, in all honesty, the most common experience tends to fall more in the 2-3 range. This is by no means the fault of the employees who work here, who put up with some hell and high-water at the hands of some students who struggle to understand the limitations of food service employment. I want it to be clear where the fault is for these flaws, and that is squarely on management.

There need to be more open and advertised student positions washing dishes and cleaning tables. Take the pressure off the steady and persistent workers who have more than earned the right to be calling the shots from behind one of the premium stations of the buffet. Recognize that while new equipment is expensive, it is nowhere near as costly as patching up the leaks every few days when another outdated or cheap item breaks.

I really hope this sinking ship can be addressed with more than some duct tape and spit, because I love working in here. I like a good chunk of the food, when made by people comfortable making it. And I love the space. It's a pleasant atmosphere, tarnished only by negligence and poorly placed funding. Perhaps, if we are so lucky, I can see some of these issues tackled before I graduate. I'd love to be surprised.

Work staff helps you to feel 'at home' while dinning. Meal selection and quality is tops!