Your Comments:

Hello Dave! I got some iced tea today from Cafe DNA (which wasn't on the 'submit comments' list of eateries, btw), and it was kinda unsavory.  It tasted a bit like bitter, old Starbuck's coffee.  All I ask is that the workers at the cafes across campus please do not put the iced tea in a jug that usually holds coffee.  If we have to spend $1.30 on tea, it should taste good.  (On another aside, the tea at Crossroads is the BEST TEA EVER!)  Thanks for all the hard work you do, Dave! Danielle

I'll see if I can get Café DNA added to our operations list along with the new Weather Center operations.  On to the tea, I will remind our folks to have tea urns and coffee urns and that we need to make sure we don't "cross pollinate", or contaminate, or otherwise mix up the urns and airpots.  Quality is important and we need to do everything we can do to ensure good quality.

The tea machine at Crossroads is the same one we use in Couch, it brews a fresh cup of tea "on the spot."  The quality is very good but sadly the machines are too expensive to use in a very small volume operation like Café DNA.

So I'm really sad Dave. Rumor is that bread bowls will not be served until the second tuesday in September. By my calculations (you'll have to forgive me, i'm not a math major) that is roughly 3 weeks away. And if you include Summer (3 months = roughly 12 weeks) and not including dead week or finals week, that would mean it will be 15 weeks without bread bowls. For some this might be silly, but after the discovery of this excusite cuisine, I find myself loathing the time without bread bowls. Say it isn't true Dave, 15 weeks without bread bowls is way to long to wait.  -mcb

It does take us a little time to gear up operations at the beginning of the year.  We hire a lot of new student employees and we really want to get the "basics" down before we throw something like a bread-bowl day at them.  I think if we did that the first week that we'd scare some of our employees off.

Dave, This is my fourth year to live in the dorms and it is due in large part to the excellent food services offered here.  I just had a couple comments.  Can we get a soup schedule at couch express like last year?  Right now I don't even know what soup is offered until I go up to the counter and ask; it's really inconvenient for myself as well as the people waiting to order.  I also wrote in last year and asked if you add one cherry coke fountain drink in the cafeteria.  I found out there already one at the end of the cafeteria by the athens cafe.  Could you please add another one in a more centralized location or the other side of the cafeteria?  It doesn't get a lot of attention all the way down there, today I tried to use it and the syrup was gone.  I talked to someone at athens and he said he didn't know who should be refilling it.  It would be really great if there had been another cherry coke fountain available so I wouldn't have to miss out on the greatest of cherry coke, and also less of hassle not having to walk to the very end of the cafeteria for one particular drink.  One last thing I would like to say is that the veggie station is amazing and you guys are always surprising us with a variety of items.  Kudos.- Big Al

A soup schedule sounds like a great idea.  I may even have the right kind of menu board that we could use to put the list up on.  I'll get working on the board while the Couch Express people get working on the list.

Would you believe that Cherry Coke has 10 more calories a glass than regular Coke and we put it all the way over in Athen's Café so you would be able to burn off those extra calories walking to get it?  No?  Well then would you believe that we hid the Cherry Coke over there because only the really cool people go to Athen's Café and thus find it?  Not that one either huh?  OK then would you believe that even with 4 fountain machines in Couch we don't have enough "taps" to provide all the variety you want?

I think that last excuse (or is it a reason) probably sums up our situation the best.  I will ask the Couch folks to look into another Cherry Coke tap somewhere in the Café knowing fully well that taking something out will cause even more comments.

I haven't seen Jenny at the cafeteria. I guess she's gone. She was so nice, and I miss her pictures cuz I could tell what the food was. That sucks. I got my food from her all the nights last year. Some of the peeps who work there now suck at being nice, yo. Joe

Come on Joe, it's really too early in the year to tell who sucks at being nice.  We haven't even hired all of our people or trained them in anti-nice-sucking methods.  Give us a couple of weeks and the real stars at being nice will rise up and impress you while the people who suck at being nice will, well suck at it.  Then feel free to complain about our people who suck at being nice.  You might even take the time to give me a name or two so we can do something about it.

Hey Dave, a few things to talk about.  First of all, brown gravy in hotbar today.  That was amazing, thanks for doing that you made my day, hopefully it will be around a lot more often because it seemed to be pretty popular.  Second, I just happened to order hot bar right as the computer system crashed tonight.  I want to tell you how good of a job the staff at Cate did.   Rena, I think that was her name, had everyone calm and although i had to wait 10 extra min being the first person in line, i really didn't mind.  nobody in the lines seemed to be upset that the computers crashed, mostly due to the fact the staff still was helping everyone and kept telling us how sorry they were for the computer crash.  Soon enough they all had the forms for us to fill out and everything was flowing smooth as silk again.  It really was impressive to see how you guys have a backup just in case something like that happens, and the fact that everyone knew what to do, and kept working.  Any way key points, brown gravy is the key to life, and the cate staff is amazing.  Keep up the good work.  Rohit

Thank you for the report back on the happenings at Cate.  I think you will see the brown gravy more often this year.  I hope we don't see too many more register failures though.  As with any new system there are a few kinks and the need for a few "tweaks" before we can settle into a "business as usual" mode.

I just wanted to say that the pasta seems to not have that much flavor or spices that are in it. Everything else tastes great.

OK, we will look at the pastas.  We will be introducing our new "baked to order" pastas soon and we will also be adding some new sauces (like a nice pesto) in order to offer you a few new flavors to try.  We are still learning.

Dave, last year the water cups in Cate were on the small side, but still usable.  This year it's just ridiculous.  They're good for a few swigs.  When I get water, I want to guzzle water, not sip it.  Get bigger cups.  Also, the straws are too short for those huge cups that are used for such healthy beverages like Coke.  We need longer straws. 'Erich

Let's see, you want bigger water cups and bigger straws?  What's next bigger portions on the hot bar and bigger plates????  And after that you'll want the sandwiches to be bigger and the booths to be bigger and the NAPKINS TO BE BIGGER ' where will it all end?  Bigger rooms, bigger showers, bigger elevators???  No my friend no.  There is such a thing as justice in this world and sooner or later this insane drive for bigger will come to an end….  In the meantime I'll check into those water cups and straws.

Yay Dave! You took out the MTV in Cate Center! This has to be the best change I have seen since being back on campus. I can happily study away in Cate while enjoying a yummy sandwich or cinnamon roll now!

Just because MTV's blessed absence is the best change doesn't mean I have noticed all the others. The new booths in Cate are great. La Roma is simply superb; it's the best pizza crust to ever come from an OU dining establishment and tastes better than a lot of restaurant versions! I do hope you bring back baked pasta soon, but I understand you need time to scale. Having my stirfry made-to-order is a wonderful balance between making it myself (scary) and having a few pre-made dishes (boring). And props for increasing exchanges to $6.00!

I have a couple things to ask about: first, B&B's new combo options. One of the options is "half sandwich, tossed salad, one side item". When comparing this description to the menu proper, I see that a tossed salad costs $3.00 and comes in a large to-go box. Sweet! However, when I ordered this combo option, I got the $1.15 "side salad", which is much smaller. The manager there said they were giving the side salad, not the tossed salad... either the sign needs fixed or the staff needs informed.

Also, I hate to say that it seems there has been more of a fly problem in the caf this semester... I never had to worry about them buzzing around my food in years past, but this semester it seems they are always around. Still, there is far more good than bad around, and I'm glad to be back for another semester!

Thanks for taking the time to comment on your likes and dislikes.  I'm glad you like the new LaRoma Pizza, we are pretty excited by it too. The baked pasta will start back up at LaRoma after we get back from the labor day break. 

The half sandwich / salad combo does come with the smaller side salad and a drink and I think a cookie or piece of fruit too.  Let me check on that before you tell the folks at Cate "Dave said"…..

We realize we have a fly problem and we really are trying to deal with it.  This time of year is always bad.  We have air curtains on the doors in the loading dock and dish room but they still find their way in.  I hope you can appreciate that we are very cautious about our control methods, we do not use sprays in our dining facilities.

If I'm going to pay $6.00 for a sub from Quizno's, please make it worth the money. A sandwich where 1/4 of the bread is not covered with meat or veggies is only worth 3/4 the cash. Thanks!

I get so very few complaints about Quiznos that I had to read this again.  I have already forwarded this e-mail to the manager there, I'm sure TJ will review this with her folks.

This and That '

a  Food Services still has a number of jobs available if you are looking for a good paying job here on campus that will work around your class schedule.  Check out the jobs listed at OU Human Resources and on their web site.

a  Keep an eye out for money saving Quiznos coupons in the Daily.  We had a $1.00 off coupon this past Monday, did you see it?  Quiznos does not re-imburse us for any of the coupons that they print so we have stopped taking them.  On the other hand we want you to be able to find a good deal now and then so every 2 weeks we print a $1.00 off coupon.

a  So far no one has taken me up on the Taco Mayo challenge.  Here it is again:

We continue to get complaints about not having a Taco Bell on campus and there are a number of reasons why we don't. Taco Mayo is a local company whose first store was right here in Norman.  We like to promote Oklahoma businesses. 

Some students seem to think Taco Mayo is of lesser quality.  I disagree.  In fact I'll make you this challenge.  Buy one of our Mayo grilled burritos or quesadillas .  Any variety, I don't care (but I would recommend the "grilled Steak Mexicali Burrito, it's my favorite).  Keep your receipt.  If you don't like the Mayo foods as well as or better than Taco Bell's, bring that receipt back to me at my Walker office and I will refund your money.  I am that confident in the quality of our Mayo product.  Nuff said.

a  Remember you can submit comments in three different ways.  Drop a card in the comment boxes at our operations.  Go to www.housing.ou.edu and submit an anonymous comment (remember I can't respond to these) or send me an e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

a Winners of the Xcetera Sooner Welcome Basket Giveaway:

Nick Baker  Adams Center

Kristyn Noland  Traditions

Megan Bird   Couch Center

Garrett Camp Walker Tower

Donovan Wood  Cate Center