Pitt Eats has faced severe scrutiny over this past year due to food safety concerns as well as general complaints about food options across campus. With a new semester starting, Pitt Eats is ready to accommodate student concerns and bring forth some new initiatives, including reusable containers and more accessible food.
Despite these plans, during the first week of this semester, many students were confused by some on-campus dining locations being closed. On the first day of classes, the Cathedral Cafe was closed, as well as True Burger in the William Pitt Union and Ethel’s food truck.
These closures were due to the new academic calendar, which started on a Wednesday this semester. Some on-campus dining options weren’t acclimated to this schedule, with “unscheduled maintenance” that day, according to Maggie Weaver, senior marketing director for Pitt Eats.
Although many of these places opened back up, Ethel’s will be closed until March “due to the cold temperatures,” says Weaver. Even with Ethel’s closed for the winter months, students can still access The Eatery and The Perch seven days a week, regardless of the complaints the dining halls faced last semester.
After reports of uncooked and contaminated food, some students and their families have negative opinions about the cleanliness of The Eatery — even after it passed health inspections. Rob Beckman, a first-year engineering student, believes The Eatery is “dirty” and always takes too long for food.
“[Whereas at] The Perch, you get to pick your portions and there is [more of] a variety,” Beckman said. “And the Perch staff are nice and clean all the time.”
Pitt Eats has several plans to continue addressing food safety and cleanliness concerns from the fall. It plans to add variety to its meals while maintaining food security and accommodating the Pitt community.
“We are committed to consistently working to improve our dining programs, based on student feedback and community needs,” Weaver said.
The Eatery has broadened the usage of mobile ordering through the Farm Stand, Food Truck and Briny Pickle stations, which are all accessible in the basement of Towers. Now, “all guests can now use the Transact Mobile App to order [at these locations],” Weaver said.
The Eatery and the Perch are incorporating a new program called USEFULL, which is a reusable takeout program that is made of sustainable materials, a “zero-waste to-go option,” according to Weaver. This contrasts the previous OZZI program that Pitt Eats temporarily launched, which was part of the “Choose to Reuse” program through Pitt Sustainability.
“USEFULL, a plastic-free, tech-powered takeout program will launch on Jan. 27,” Weaver said. “The plastic-free system is as easy to use as a library card and provides a zero-waste to-go option.”
Anthony Santora, first-year biochemistry student, thinks that “takeout seems like a good option.” But, due to his busy schedule, he is “only able to eat at the dining hall once a day” and hopes there will be no wait time surrounding USEFULL.
For students with dietary restrictions, there are “ingredient experts” available at all dining locations. They wear a specialized hat or button and are readily available for all “ingredient and allergen questions,” Weaver said. With this, Pitt Eats is trying to be as transparent as possible to accommodate student needs.
“[There are] menu cards featured on the serving lines at each of our dining halls,” Weaver said. “[They contain] information on each dish, including recipe names, nutrition facts and dietary icons.”
Flourish, a dining location at both The Eatery and The Perch, caters to those with allergies and other restrictions. The food at these locations does not include any of the most common allergens — peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, milk, eggs, soy, wheat, sesame and gluten.
For specified care, students are recommended to schedule a meeting with Pitt Eats’ Lindsay Wilson, a registered dietitian on campus. With Wilson, students can “develop an individualized strategy for navigating on campus to best meet their needs,” Weaver said.
“As always, at Pitt Eats, the health and safety of our guests is a top priority,” Weaver said. “We remain deeply committed to ensuring all of our guests have a delicious and safe dining experience.”
With a new semester ahead, more dining locations may have unexpected closures or other updates to share. Students can stay updated through Pitt’s Dine On Campus website or social media stories and posts for timely reports.