Georgetown students who returned to campus this fall expecting a new, improved Leo J. O’Donovan Dining Hall must have been sorely disappointed. New? Yes. Improved? Not by a long shot, what with the tacky décor, cluttered downstairs floor plan, and uninspired food. Dining Services needs to restore order to the design of Leo’s and improve the food instead of ruining the décor next time they’re planning renovations.
The bottom floor’s design smashes together three styles of furniture, and it’s worrisome to think that the same person in charge of your meals also thought mixing Happy Days tables in the Diner with Olive Garden-style booths in the Bistro was a good idea. The new design is more than ugly—it doesn’t work for students. Circular tables are awkwardly sized, forcing people to clump tables together and make the floor into a maze.
The food, on the other hand, is exactly the same as it was last semester. Pizzas still wither under heat lamps, and the pasta is either overcooked or cold. If Leo’s had focused on improving the food instead of meddling with the furniture, the Leo’s redesign would have been much more successful.
The biggest development in food is that there’s less of it. Desserts downstairs are behind glass, so you can only get one by asking a Leo’s employee. French fries are given out stingily with hamburgers and hot dogs, instead of being available on their own. This part of the redesign gives Leo’s more control over what students eat, rather than giving students more variety.
While bad food hasn’t gone anywhere, trays have disappeared forever. While removing trays saves water and energy, the choice of whether to use a tray should be left to each student. Utensils remain, but knives and forks are chronically in short supply—a truly frustrating experience, as anyone who’s had to cut their turkey breast with a spoon will tell you.
When the University promised changes in Leo’s last year, students expected more than superficial changes. True change will require new menu items, a sensible floor plan, and trays and utensils for all, not just different colored chairs. Until then, Dining Services should remove the unreasonable mandatory meal plan requirement for freshmen and sophomores. It’s the least they can do.
