Welcome to Williams Dining

The following information explains all the changes that will be implemented to our dining options, as well as the assumptions and guidelines that were used when making our plan for opening.

Areas considered:

• Safety for our entire community.
• Being able to operate efficiently, getting meals out quickly, without losing quality, to accommodate tighter schedules for students traveling further across campus for remote and in-classroom learning.
• Making accommodations for the inevitable positive cases of COVID-19, that will require dedicated spaces to prepare meals for isolated/quarantined students.
• Following current Massachusetts phased guidelines and CDC Guidelines.
• Making sure all students have access to receive meals and removing barriers, Example: If a space reaches total seating capacity, no additional guest will be allowed in.  With the ability to only seat a fraction of our student population when following current state orders, the data shows we will have to stop students from entering our facilities within multiple hours of the day. A take out only menu will allow us to remove accessibility barriers.
• Offering Mobile ordering ahead in multiple retail spaces to eliminate long lines and reduce cross-contact with the community.

Actuality:

• Students will not be required to eat alone. The Pod of 6 students in each dorm will be treated as a safe space for students to eat and congregate without the use of masks and social distancing.
• Allowing Students from different dorms to sit unmasked at a dining hall increases risk; one positive case will initiate a widespread of isolation/quarantine students.

Modified Dining Accommodations:

• Our website offers detailed dining options and information, with the currently planned hours of operation. All information and times are subject to change.
• https://dining.williams.edu/hours-venues/

Dining Overview:

• Driscoll and Whitman’s dining halls will offer a served buffet, as well as prepackaged meals for students to grab on the go. New hot and cold air screens installed will allow a variety of prepackaged meal items such as Fruit Cups, Yogurt Cups, Breakfast Sandwiches, Grain Bowls, Pasta Bowls, Deli Sandwiches, Garden Salads with and without protein & vegan options, etc.
• Snack Bar, 82 Grill & Grab & Go will be mobile ordering only through the new GET App.  There will be designated pick up locations, using hot and cold air screens to keep food at the proper temp with the students’ names on the item for pick up.
• Eco will remain in the same style as currently modeled.
• Whitman’s Late-Night ends at 11 pm. Mobile ordering will be in place to alleviate lines.
• Snack Bar Late Night Closed, staff members within the late-night program who can work during the day will assist with the new served vs self serve model, that will require additional staff to serve and keep lines moving.
• Snack Bar providing Lunch and Mid-day only. Data shows that Snack Bar breakfast is the most underutilized meal period in all of dining. Dining options will also be available to only students.
• ’82 Grill will offer lunch only, evening staff will assist with dinner production.
• Mission Park will be closed for student dining and become our production kitchen, this will allow for the new service style, fresh production, and social distancing amongst staff.
• Faculty House and Catering operations will be closed for the fall and staff utilized to assist in the production kitchen.

Additional Safety Measures :

• The door that is normally closed in Whitman’s will be open for exit only to increase flow in the space.
• All of our dining spaces will have Plexiglas, social distancing markers, and one direction arrows.
• Driscoll will keep the Plexiglas in place and a second exit will be explored for students, eliminating the need to walk back up the steps they came down. This will provide for better social distancing and eliminate potential bottlenecks.

I look forward to welcoming you back to campus and meeting all of your dining needs while making dining a safe environment.

Best,

Temesgen Araya