By Evan Anderson, The Whetstone

For sophomore DaQuan Martin, the Den is the best place for students to eat on campus.

“They make food that everyone likes at the Den,” he said. “The food is always hot and it tastes way better than the caf.”

Many Wesley students said they enjoy dining at the lounge area where the Den is located more than eating in the cafeteria because of food variety and options.

Aramark provides the campus with food for the cafeteria and for the Den.

“I can’t speak on why Wesley chose Aramark but I do know it’s a mutually-agreeable partnership,” Food Service Director Mike Dacko said. “The partnership has been invaluable and as a result we have been able to make adjustments to our dining program through the voice of the students.”

Kelsey Fitzpatrick, Student Government Association secretary, meets with Dacko after hearing from students at the weekly SGA meeting.

“The more feedback I get, the better the caf can be,” Fitzpatrick said. “Mike and his staff respond really well to the feedback, but it’s hard to make changes without the feedback.

Some students love what the Den offers.

“The Barbecue wings are bomb and the chicken tender baskets are cheap,” senior Brandon Wood said. “The Den has more stuff people want, which then takes people out of the cafeteria.”

The Den sells hot, fried food everyday starting at 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., Monday through Thursday. It opens back up in the evening from 7 p.m. until 11:30 p.m. On Friday, it’s open from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. The Den is not open on weekends.

Junior George Cook enjoys eating at the Den, but finds it frustrating waiting for the food line.

“The quality of the food is pretty good, but I think the amount of time you have to wait for the food is too long,” he said. “I understand that the workers are working very hard, and dealing with tons of students every day, but maybe we should have more available lines to go faster.”

Freshman Tyler McGrath agrees said the food is delicious in the Den.

“The boneless wings are bangin’ and there’s a lot of different options to choose from,” he said.

In the cafeteria, students have the option of getting pizza, pasta, handmade sandwiches, a meal of the day, salads, and other side dishes.

Freshman Tolu Babalola’s first experience in the cafeteria was not the best.

He said he found hair in his food. “They need more variety and better hygiene,” he said.

The caf is open every day serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. On the weekends, the caf serves brunch and dinner.

“The cafeteria has a 4-week rotating menu cycle,” Dacko said. “These menus are created based on student feedback and Aramark’s culinary expertise.”

Fitzpatrick said student with any questions, concerns or suggestions about the caf or the Den may contact her at Kelsey.fitzpatrick@email.wesley.edu