The University of Maryland welcomed Christopher Moore as the new Dining Services director this fall semester.
The Diamondback interviewed Moore toward the end of his first semester in the role to explore his future plans as Dining Services director. Moore discussed topics ranging from new initiatives to carry out meals in his Nov. 26 interview with The Diamondback.
What is your background in Dining Services?
Moore said he came to this university about 17 years ago after securing a job in Residential Facilities. He then became the associate director of finance and IT for Dining Services during the COVID-19 pandemic, he added.
Moore took on additional work as other members of the Dining Services leadership team retired or left the department. He applied for the director position about a year ago.
“As we get some of these vacancies filled, I’m looking forward to really taking this dining program to the next level,” Moore told The Diamondback.
Dining Services spokesperson Bart Hipple said he believes Moore is “great for the role” because of his familiarity with campus and food service experience.
What are some initiatives Dining Services is working on?
Dining Services is on the “tail end” of elevating the residential dining program in three dining halls across campus, Moore said.
South Campus Dining Hall relocated its salad bar as part of this initiative, which makes it more accessible for students and easier for staff to refill, Moore said. The department also plans to modernize South Campus Dining Hall by incorporating different furniture styles and revamping the serving areas, Moore added.
Dining Services is also improving its retail dining with improvements in Stamp Student Union, according to Moore. This includes the recent relocation of Subway to the food court and the upcoming construction of a larger Chick-fil-A location.
[Subway opens new location in Stamp]
Dining Services is making cafes in academic buildings more appealing to students, according to Moore. Creative Commons in Tawes Hall and Samovar in H.J. Patterson Hall have been revamped with new menus and seating after being closed in the pandemic, Moore added.
Moore emphasized the goal of “investing in our people” through training opportunities and filling job vacancies in the department.
How do you plan to hear student concerns?
Moore posted an “Ask Me Anything” on Reddit to invite student questions about Dining Services. Beyond using social media, Moore meets with the Residence Hall Association’s Dining Services Student Advisory Board biweekly to propose ideas and hear student perspectives.
[Patty Perillo discusses mental health, food insecurity with UMD RHA]
“They are a good sounding board for us if we have an idea and want to test the water with it real quick,” Moore said.
When he has time for lunch, Moore will also sit down in dining halls to speak with random students and get “real-time feedback.” He hopes to create a “Dine with the Director” program that lets students share thoughts and ideas.
Why don’t students have carry out in the dining halls?
Although food insecurity has been a problem on campus, students living in dorms should not be food insecure because of the Anytime Dining Plan, Moore said. The plan allows students to enter the dining hall as many times as they wish, he added.
During the pandemic, students living in suites or apartments would carry out multiple containers of food to take back to their roommates, according to Moore.
Mikhail Labar, this university’s RHA Dining Services coordinator, said Dining Services members are often wary of students violating dining hall rules.
According to Labar, RHA had an idea to add plants to 251 North. But when he brought the idea up to Dining Services staff, they said all the plants had been stolen within a day when plants used to be in the dining hall, the sophomore mechanical engineering and management major added.
Carry out is available on the retail side of student dining plans with Dining Dollars, Moore said.
Carry out containers are not feasible in the dining halls because about 13,000 to 15,000 meals are served in dining halls daily, Moore said. During the pandemic, Dining Services spent nearly $2 million on carry out containers, despite the campus not being fully populated, according to Moore.
The number of carry out containers that would be discarded is also unsustainable, which doesn’t fit this university and Dining Services’ commitments, Moore added.
How are dietary restrictions accommodated in the dining halls?
Dining Services’ allergen program recently won MenuTrinfo’s award for “Best Overall Allergen Program for Universities.”
This is because of the department’s multiple allergy-free zones across dining halls, including the Purple Zone at 251 North and Yahentamitsi Dining Hall’s gluten free and vegan station, Moore said.
The department works individually with students to help them navigate the dining halls based on their specific dietary needs or allergies, according to Moore.
