Due to COVID-19, Dining Services has adjusted the dining options available to the Elizabethtown College community. To follow the guidelines of the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the Pennsylvania Department of Health and public health officials, the Marketplace has experienced a variety of changes.
The Marketplace’s seating is now limited to approximately 120 guests to allow for social distancing, as well as follow capacity limits. The meal swipe system will be utilized to help track “how many customers are seated for in-person dining,” as noted in a document provided by Dining Services. Guests will be expected to scan their ID as they enter and exit the Marketplace.
Beyond that, other guidelines have been put in place. From 3 to 4p.m., the Marketplace is closed for sanitation, but high touch areas are being sanitized throughout the day. Additionally, no touch transactions are now required, the daily health assessment must be completed and hot made-to-order items from the Jay’s Nest should be ordered online via Jayweb or the Jay’s App. Plexiglass is also present around the register and acts as a divider on tables. Guests and staff must wear masks properly, wear gloves and maintain social distancing whenever possible.
In regard to the precautions being taken, senior professional writing and Japanese double major Kelly Paski said, “It’s sad that we can’t sit closer, but taking the precautions are smart.” She went on to say that she thought that the College was doing what it takes to protect students during the pandemic.
Now that juniors and sophomores have returned to campus, all of the students opting to live on campus have returned, prompting some concerns about if the Marketplace will face issues with an increased volume of students. However, Dining Services has presented alternatives to students to keep the amount of guests in the Marketplace to a minimum.
“It’s definitely less crowded,” said junior Music Education major Joshua Koch in an interview via email. Paski also agreed that it was less crowded and explained that it was likely due to students using Marketplace To Go either to eat in surrounding areas outside near the Baugher Student Center (BSC) or elsewhere to sit closer to their friends.
Paski said, “It’s nice that you can take the Marketplace To Go boxes outside to eat with friends.” Since Paski lives in an apartment-style dorm, she typically cooks in her dorm, but she has used the options available at the Marketplace and Jay’s Nest occasionally.
To accommodate students, Dining Services has been encouraging Marketplace To Go as an alternative, which many students are opting for. From Monday to Friday, other alternative lunch locations will be available from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The KAV will serve the to-go hot entrée of the day, and the Jays Nest will offer a “meal exchange consisting of [a] cold sandwich or salad combo,” in the BSC. Behind the BSC, the Jay Truck will be available to offer comfort food.
The Fresh Nest in the Bowers Center for Sports, Fitness and Well-being and Brew Jay in the High Library, however, are both closed.
When asked about the variety of options offered by Dining Services, Koch said, “I’ve used the Marketplace and Marketplace To Go. I haven’t used the Jay’s Nest yet because I don’t know how to order from it now.”
Similarly, Paski said, “You have to order online at the Jay’s Nest,” and noted how she wasn’t aware until she attempted to order in-person. For online orders, the Jay’s Nest is using the E-Town Jay’s App or Jayweb.
As the semester moves forward, students hope that issues will be addressed in regard to how to order, the transaction methods accepted and the functioning of outside dining during the colder weather as the fall and winter weather quickly approaches.
