The MSU community is increasingly satisfied with the cafeteria system, a national survey reports.
The National Association of College and University Food Services annually conducts a Customer Satisfaction Benchmarking Survey.
In its third year of participation, MSU cafeterias have seen an increase in customer satisfaction.
Although the association headquarters are in the Manly Miles Building at MSU, survey data is processed at a consulting firm in Columbus, Ohio.
Scoring is based on questionnaires that rate cafeterias in four categories: food, service, cleanliness and dining environment. Each category is rated between one and five, five being the best.
The cafeteria in Brody Hall saw the biggest increase in score - a jump of 20 percent - which Bruce Haskell, food service coordinator for MSU's Division of Housing and Food Services, attributes to changes brought on by student requests. Landon Hall was the highest-rated cafeteria for the second year in a row, with an average score of 3.99.
Overall, the university's average score was 3.58. The average score for cafeterias across the nation was 3.57.
Haskell emphasized that no structural changes have gone into the increased ratings.
"We have been able to improve our scores with the same facilities by focusing on the people," he said. "People are our most valuable resource."
Mathematics senior Ethan Fahy, an employee of Shaw Hall's cafeteria, agrees. He said he has helped re-arrange the deli and salad rooms to accommodate students.
"They've been asking people's comments, and so far, so good," he said. "Over the last few years, everything's been going up."
Still, some students are less than satisfied with the cafeteria cuisine.
"I think they put green pepper in everything," merchandising management junior Elizabeth Valenti said. Valenti lives in McDonel Hall.
"They need more variation. They need to have more traditional stuff," she said.
Other students, such as Phillips Hall resident Meghan Querro, who is a vegetarian, have some trouble following special diets in the cafeterias.
"They need to have more protein options. Getting protein is important," the Spanish freshman said, specifically mentioning nuts and lentils.
But she said it's hard to satisfy everyone's needs.
"There are only so many foods you can mass produce," Querro said.
The association's executive director, Joe Spina, said the customer satisfaction survey is one of two that the association conducts each year. The other one examines facility management.
"By looking at the five (categories), a college or university gets the idea of how it compares with its peer institutions," he said, adding that the results are broken down to compare gender, class standing and other factors.
"We do it as a service to our members."
