Shortly before 5 pm on Tuesday, February 17th, a broken water valve in Reamer Dining Hall caused a temporary disruption to dining services, prompting a precautionary evacuation and the closure of multiple campus dining locations during the dinner rush. Reamer Dining Hall was briefly cleared while Facilities and Dining Services assessed the situation.
Dutch Hollow, another major dining option for students for quick accessibility and versatility in food options, also closed as crews worked to contain the issue and begin cleanup. Reamer reopened in less than an hour while Dutch Hollow remained closed through the evening. The sudden closure of Upper dining and Dutch Hollow, two of the most popular evening food locations, created significant congestion at the remaining dining sites across campus.
To accommodate the surge of students, 807 Deli began accepting meal swipes, a temporary change from its usual payment structure, for students that are on Unlimited Plan or do not have enough balance in Declining (Dining Dollars). Rathskeller experienced an especially high volume of orders, with lines stretching through the space and wait times increasing throughout the evening. In an effort to move students through more quickly, staff stopped making wraps and limited menu options. Despite these adjustments, some students left Rathskeller after placing orders due to the extended wait. Moreover, due to the rush, many students found their food orders to be incorrect, posing more pressure on the staff at Rathskeller.
This disruption arising at peak dinner hours when sports teams are let out of their practices and classes finish led to confusion among students trying to find available food options. With several primary dining locations closed simultaneously, many were forced to navigate longer lines and altered menus. However, a quick response from dining ensured that students were able to eat.
