The Tower may have opened less than two weeks ago, but the Duke University Student Dining Advisory Committee has already crafted a list of suggestions for the newly-renovated eatery at its meeting Monday.
Located in McClendon Tower, the grill-based eatery that replaced Tommy’s Rubs and Grubs features healthier menu items including salads, paninis and skewered meats and vegetables called “stix.” Tom Meyer, Trinity ’91, ran Tommy’s and will continue to operate the new restaurant.
The committee concluded that The Tower’s complicated ordering system, which currently uses a write-in order sheet similar to Armadillo Grill, poses the biggest concern.
“If Duke students are having a problem figuring out how to order a veggie panini, [The Tower] seriously needs to reevaluate how people order there,” said DUSDAC co-Chair Alex Klein, a senior and former online editor for The Chronicle.
The order sheet allows students to customize every preference—down to picking which vegetables are included in a salad. DUSDAC suggested using write-in sheets for some food options, such as “stix,” and direct orders off the menu for the rest.
The committee also recommended larger portions and more affordable prices, especially for the “stix” portion of the menu.
“The menu looks great on paper,” Klein said. “[The Tower] has created a lot of expectations [about menu items] that they haven’t been delivering on.”
DUSDAC plans to invite representatives from The Tower to one of its upcoming meetings to discuss further improvements, he added.
In other business:
Duke Student Health will continue to develop the Nutrition Services website as well as its Facebook page to attract more readers, said Franca Alphin, director of nutrition services at Student Health.
Alphin added that she would like to expand the collection of student recipes and include local restaurant reviews online.
“I would like to have a more interactive community online about nutrition,” Alphin said. “We have a lot of resources available, and it’s always nice for students to hear from other students.”
The reviews would also benefit local vendors by providing direct student feedback.
“We are not going to be harsh, but we are going to be honest,” Alphin said. “The more feedback we can give the restaurant, the better.”
The committee also discussed its role within the new restructuring of Duke Dining—which is now overseen by Vice President for Student Affairs Larry Moneta—and the future revamping of dining spaces.
The West Union, which houses eateries such as The Great Hall and Alpine Bagels, will undergo major renovations as soon as two years from now, said DUSDAC co-Chair Andrew Schreiber, a senior.
He added that a glass-structure dining pavilion will be constructed to serve as the hub of dining activities during the two-year period of reconstruction.
DUSDAC expects to play a role in discussions surrounding the construction plans during the next two years, Schreiber said.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.