New dining changes appeal to more palates

Jim Wilkening, director of the Recreation and Wellness Center, finds the campus dining experience today to be much different than the one he experienced as a student in the late 1980s.

"The type of food offerings on campus has changed so much, from quality to quantity," UCF alumnus Wilkening said.

Much to the delight of Wilkening, students can expect more changes to come, as Burger King in the Student Union begins its conversion to a BK Whopper Bar, Chick-fil-A in the John T. Washington Center adds new items to its menu and a new dining location is added to Computer Classroom II.

Construction for the Whopper Bar will begin later this semester and finish in spring 2012. The design, which was set back by architectural complications last semester, will feature the Whopper, Double Whopper and Steakhouse XT sandwiches from the location's original menu.

The open-kitchen design allows students to view their order as it is prepared. The location's new menu includes 22 toppings that were not previously available for order, such as guacamole, breaded spicy onions and blackened Cajun sauce.

Chick-fil-A is also changing its menu with a few items that are in the approval process. Cinnamon clusters, chick-n-strips, chicken salad sandwiches, fruit cups and yogurt parfaits are all menu items in the process of being approved. These food items are available at Chick-fil-A locations off campus, but not currently available at the campus location.

"I think it's great they're considering healthier options," said Ashley Hathcock, fitness coordinator at the Recreation and Wellness Center.

A Seattle's Best Coffee will be opening in Computer Classroom II near the Student Union in the spring. The menu there will offer different coffee options such as espresso drinks, ice and blended beverages and "Grab n' Go" sandwich items. Construction for this location is currently underway.

Shannon Frost, marketing programs manager of Aramark at UCF, said UCF Dining Services is dedicated to creating a healthy and enjoyable dining experience for students since starting business at UCF in 2001.

"With UCF now having the largest student population in the state of Florida, UCF Dining is continually striving to meet and exceed the needs of the UCF community by adding healthier, environmentally-friendly options for students to choose from," Frost said.

Hathcock believes some locations on campus are better than others when it comes to making healthy food options transparent for students.

"Overall, I find that our campus does a good job of offering nutrient-dense foods," Hathcock said.