It’s no secret that the Rankin Den isn’t the average student’s most desirable dinner destination. Cameron Blevins, like many other students, spends most of the week going back and forth between main and downtown campus. This means Cameron gets the choice of eating at the Cougar Cafe or the Rankin Den. And if you’ve ever had meals at both, then you know the former was his first and only real choice.
The Rankin has been at a disadvantage since its beginning. The size of the Rankin alone doesn’t provide them the ability to cook in the same way as at the Cougar Café, and the service has gone through changes almost every year, adding confusion into the mix. “Part of the challenge is the equipment” explained Justin Gurski, Campus Dining’s general manager, “The Den was not designed for the style of dining we’re doing right now.”
Of course, there are several good things about the Rankin (aside from the humorous staff), one of the most noteworthy being breakfast on certain Sunday mornings, when the cooks come out of the darkness they’ve been hiding in all week long. If you get there bright and early you’re likely to be welcomed by well-cooked eggs, crispy bacon and warm biscuits. It is particularly because of these magical Sunday mornings that I see the potential in the Den, and am left wondering how things keep going sideways.
“I pick my food based on how it looks and most of the food does not look good” said CSU student Addison Webster. “I’ll go to the pizza line because pizza is supposed to be edible but it’s not always that great, which makes me sad.”
During the week you’re guaranteed at least one unsatisfactory meal. It could be anything from a burger with a rock hard bun to crunchy rice and water because the fountain drink machine is down. While bad days are expected, they should not become the norm. Aramark, the food service provider for both campuses, promises its customers, “creative menus and recipes influenced by customer insights,” as well as “culinary experts that build remarkable dining experiences,” but those promises aren’t being kept at the Rankin.
The good news is improvements may be on the horizon. On February 24th, a town meeting regarding dining services at the Rankin was held in the Student Activity Center. The town meeting was a great opportunity for students to voice their opinions and for Aramark to listen as well as provide insight on setbacks they’ve had.
One of these setbacks that has been extremely detrimental to the Rankin was the absence of a manager for several months. Luckily, Aramark has found a new manager, Connor DeLoach, who is already being trained and brought up to speed.
Gurski says he knows that there are some problems with the Den, and they are working on fixing the experience. “Some things I’m not going to defend ourselves over” he said. “If you’re noticing it, we are going to take notes and make sure we fix it from here on out.”
At the end of the day, the Aramark folks like Justin do care about CSU students; we are their first and only focus- their main customer. But at least for RiverPark students, it may not always seem like it. Hopefully the new manager, DeLoach, will salvage the Den’s reputation.
