Lucinda’s does dinner

JingLin Huang

On the first of November, Lucinda’s opened its doors for dinner. By 5:30, a line of students had formed outside Lucinda’s, eagerly awaiting entry to the much-anticipated dinner. There was a steady flow of students in and out of the dining hall until closing time at seven.
The switch from serving breakfast to dinner was prompted by popular response. About 30 percent of the students surveyed by the Lawrence University Community Council last spring indicated that they were very interested in having dinner at Lucinda’s. Many students prefer that Lucinda’s serve dinner, simply because they are more likely to have dinner than breakfast. According to Trenton Havill, a freshman, “I usually don’t have time for breakfast in the mornings because I have a class at 8.30 a.m.”
For a long time, Lucinda’s has been a popular option for dining on campus, and not just for the residents of Colman Hall. Many students have spoken warmly about Lucinda’s muffins and bagels, available for breakfast.
Now, some are even more excited about what Lucinda’s has to offer for dinner. “The baked chicken was tasty, and everything else was good. I just wish that they had a larger salad bar, like the one they have at lunch,” said Maria Giere, a freshman.
The menu at Lucinda’s is planned by the staff, led by head cook Kim Parker. For both lunch and dinner, there is only one menu consisting of a main dish, vegetables, bread, and a potato or rice dish. The small dining room has only one food line, compared to three lines at Downer. Students are encouraged to eat and go, so that more people can be seated in the dining hall.
So far, the response has been enthusiastic. On the first day, 360 students showed up to give dinner at Lucinda’s a try. Last Wednesday, 199 students chose to eat there.
Lucinda’s will be serving dinner for the month of November, and will resume serving breakfast for the first two weeks of December. Whether or not dinner will continue depends on budgetary constraints and student response.
The staffing at Lucinda’s remains unchanged for now, though the duration of the working shifts has been extended because of the longer time it takes to prepare dinner.
Any positive suggestions for the menu or dining at Lucinda’s or Downer are welcome. Lynn Hagee, head of the food services, encourages students who have delicious recipes from home to share them with her; they may eventually appear on the menu for breakfast, lunch or dinner.