Suggestions Through 2/7/19

Good News! Swedish Fish are listed on our supplier’s online catalog. However, they might be considered a special order item and may not be available for everyday ordering. We will include them in our next order but they may not arrive right away.

“Can we have instant ramen products at the Cooler too (and not the niche soups)? ALSO, Nissin Cup Noodles is better than Maruchan!”

At the Tiger Cooler we will look into other options but the Dr. McDougalls will remain because they are a healthier/vegan alternative. The reason that we try to offer one brand or type at a time is our lack of storage space. The Tiger Cooler has a very small storeroom, which makes it harder for us to stock multiple similar items. On the bright side, coming February there will be new vending machines in the library. These vending machines will definitely have instant ramen in stock.

“My pasta melted a HOLE THROUGH THE PLASTIC CONTAINER today. Like what???”

Not all of our to-go containers are suitable for extreme heat. When we received this suggestion, we immediately checked the station to make sure the correct ones were placed at the station - and they were. There may have been some other containers mixed in when you received your food. If this does happen to you again, please bring it to the attention of a manager right away so we can correct the problem and replace your food.

“Please stop putting rainbow carrots in everything, especially the specialty salad! Or at least lessen the amount of rainbow carrots. They look like wrinkly fingers and do not taste good either.”

Our rainbow carrots are organic, RFC compliant and full of nutrients. We choose not to serve them raw because the texture doesn’t work well in some of our specialty salads, roasting them brings out the sweetness. When we serve them as a side with our hot food plates we don’t receive any complaints. Hopefully you will grow to love them as much as we do.

“I enjoy getting veggie omelets to go, but about 10% of the time, I find a lot of ham in it :(“

We will discuss this issue with our employees with hope that this does not happen again. Please bring this issue to a manager right away should this happen again so that we can address it with the staff member(s) on duty.

“Hello, I have a suggestion: Be able to get toppings from the salad bar and still get 4 toppings at the stir-fry and pasta bar and then pay the price of stir-fry/pasta AND salad”

Unfortunately, there is not a simple way to accomplish this. After a meal has been composed, it is very difficult for the cashier to identify the difference in toppings and we cannot solely rely on the customer’s honesty. Therefore, until we identify a better system, in order to maintain target food cost percentages we must limit the total number of toppings.

“I really loved the tofu and peas dish we had for Meatless Monday on 1/21/19!!! Please please have it again!”

We are glad to hear you enjoyed this entrée. We will keep this in our rotation but please keep in mind that it may take a week or two to make its way back on the line because we try to offer as much variety as possible.

“It would be amazing to have rice be served at breakfast during weekdays!”

We did try this last semester and it was not a big seller. We are currently looking into some instant rice options, where you possibly make your own in the microwave, just like the instant oatmeal.

“Is there a reason that the sauces are not available past 8pm on the weekends in the cooler? They make the food a lot better and it would be great if we could even extend to 9pm!”

This has been a Cooler practice since we first expanded to late night service years ago. With minimal staffing during the late night shifts, preparations for the following day must be accomplished while we still have an overlap of staff, which ends at 9pm on Fridays and Saturdays. If we were to continue offering customization beyond 8pm this would not only deplete our supplies and delay opening the following day, special orders would also be too overwhelming for the few staff assigned to these shifts. Because we must limit customization after 8pm, we decided to instead offer the popular off-menu specials usually found on weekend nights. They don’t require nearly as much later.

“Hi, would you consider extending the time in which you can get sauces at the cooler? I know it’s hard to clean & the temp has to be constant. But would it be possible to still sell the pre packaged containers after 8pm?
Thanks!”

Please see the response above. In addition to staffing challenges, we also, do not have the refrigerated space to pre-portion and hold the grill sauces. Marinara alone requires 5 large containers per day to accompany the mozzarella sticks. This is why the grill sauces are only available when the full menu is offered – and they are portioned by request.

“Please cook the French fries a bit more or at a higher temp. The fries always seem way to limp and soft most days.”

In order to be offered as gluten-free, the fries we use do not have a coating, which could extend the length of crispiness. Our fryers are set to the highest temperature and the fries are cooked until crispy. Once removed from the oil however, the internal heat of the fries essentially steams them from the inside out. We prefer to cook them in small batches as needed to support orders but during peak business hours, it is necessary to cook them in larger batches to keep up with the high demand.

“Hi, it would be great if OXY had breakfast sandwiches like bacon egg and cheese sandwiches, or other options for vegetarians, available at the mp/cooler. I believe i've seen them on the menu at the cooler, but they were never available for me to try. Also, can we get fried eggs on the dinner menu at the cooler, possibly on weekdays to eat along with the rice bowls? That be a great option for extra protein, and provide more options for those with dietary restrictions.”

Breakfast sandwiches are produced first thing every morning at the Tiger Cooler except on Sundays. Offerings include sandwiches with either tomato or just egg and cheese for vegetarians. Due to other morning duties, once they are gone they are gone, so you may want to arrive before your 8:30 class! The Tiger Cooler also produces vegetarian breakfast burritos on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. We offer French toast on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Unfortunately, fried eggs in the evening are not possible at the Tiger Cooler but we may be able to offer them at the Marketplace on Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays, while the grill is open. During peak periods at the Marketplace, it is possible that you might have to wait up to 10 minutes for your order. We are going to try this out but keep in mind that if they do not sell will discontinue offering fried eggs in the evenings.

“Is the honey mustard dressing not vegetarian?”

Honey mustard dressing IS vegetarian but is not vegan because honey is a byproduct of a bee.

"it makes me sad :( that when I go to the MP to order a hamburger at the grill during lunch I'm told they don't have any or can't make them, but if i go for dinner I get what I ask for...WHY????"

We apologize for this. We have recently done some retraining with hope that this does not happen again. If you encounter the same problem, please speak with a Marketplace supervisor (Monica or Eileen) or ask for the chef on duty.

"the potato taquitos served with the kale salad were RIDICULOUS -- seriously sooooo goooooood. yum! please repeat soon!"

and

"I love the chicken noodle soup/stew!! It was so good. Please have it again. It was great!!!"

We are glad that both dishes were so well received, we will plan to include these dishes on our radar for the future. They may make an appearance after Spring Break. 

"When will the vending machines be installed in the library?"

A fresh food machine and a coffee machine are now installed and available in the snack lounge on the first floor of the Academic Commons!

"I would love chicken matzo ball soup! It was so good last semester, and I'd love to have it again! Thank you!!!"

Matzo ball soup will definitely make an appearance during Passover, but may be available before then. Keep a look out!