Sit-down Meals and Dining Hall Guidelines

Students should arrive on time.

• Upon arrival at the Dining Hall, students should wait in the lobby until the four main doors to the dining room are opened.
• The salad bar in the lower lobby is for use by sit-down attendees only. Anyone wishing to use the salad bar must do so before the start of the sit-down meal.
• Students should be at their tables before the saying of grace. When grace begins, all motion in the Dining Hall stops; if not at a table, students should stop and remain still until the conclusion of grace.
• Most tables have one faculty member and nine students, including one (or two) day student(s). If the capacity of the table is exceeded (e.g. guests), a student may be excused to eat at another table in the Dining Room—rather than eating downstairs.

Students should exercise good manners.

• No one should begin to eat until everyone at the table has been served.
• No one should eat and talk at the same time.
• Food should be passed around—not across—the table.
• Use “please” and “thank you.”
• Take one serving at a time.
• Whoever finishes a dish or beverage should offer to replenish it.
• Students should request permission to leave the table.
• Students who wish to speak with students at other tables should request permission.
• Be thoughtful and considerate; conversations at the table should be of general interest.

Students should be dressed appropriately, in class dress.

• Sweaters and sport coats may not be removed unless the director of the Dining Hall grants permission.
• Second waiters may remove their sweaters/sport coats when performing waiting duties.

Waiting, Kitchen Duties

All students take turns waiting (or working on the dish crew, etc.) in the Dining Hall at sit-down meals. Students will have a job for several table rotations a year. A rotation lasts approximately three weeks. Guidelines for waiters are as follows:

• First waiters should arrive approximately fifteen minutes before the start of the meal.
• First waiters are responsible for setting the table and for clearing the soup course.
• Second waiters are responsible for clearing the table after the main course and dessert.
• Dessert should be brought to the table only if the main course has been cleared completely.
• Waiters should pick up salad bowls, glasses and dessert plates at individual places; dinner plates may be passed, individually, around the table to the waiter.
• Plates should not be scraped at the dining table.
• If a waiter is not present for any reason, or cannot wait, the next student on the table list is the substitute.

The Parker Room

• The downstairs dining hall (the Parker Room) is only for people not assigned to an upstairs table.
• Kitchen chiefs, dish crew, milk crew, and dessert crew may eat in the Parker Room before starting their work assignments.
• Day students who are not employee children must eat upstairs if they attend dinner.