Hello students,

Do you have nightmares about paper plates? Are you sick of tasting bamboo with every bite you take? Well, we have a solution for you.

Before we go on, though, we need to understand why we have so much single-use tableware (plates, cups, and utensils) in the first place. There are a few reasons:

1. Tableware that is left in communal spaces is thrown out by housekeeping (their job is to keep spaces clean, not return things to the dining hall for us). 
2. Many students have taken plates, cups, and silverware from the dining hall to stock their rooms and suite kitchens.

We know that no one has bad intentions, but the collective impact of these trends is significant: this school year alone, Dining has spent over $200,000 replacing over 50,000 unreturned cups, plates, and silverware. That’s over $40 per student. It sounds crazy, but it’s true. Dining couldn’t continue to buy replacements at this rate, so they had to switch to single-use items. 

Spending so much on replacement tableware means Campus Dining has less money for general operations (the frequency and quality of regular menu items) and special events (e.g. Farmer’s Markets, Midnight Breakfast, the Underground Supper Club, 12 Days of Dining, and cultural celebrations like Ramadan, South Asia Week, and Black History Month)

Additionally, Campus Dining informed us that if tableware continues to be taken, we will eventually have to eat with green-reuse containers in all dining halls. That would mean no more plates – reusable or single use. In other words, you’d have to check out a new reuse container for every plate of food regardless of whether you’re dining in or taking food to go. To clarify, Dining does not want this to happen–they just simply cannot afford to purchase more and more single-use items as their reusable supply dwindles.

So, what can we do to fix this situation? Bring everything back! Anything that was trashed is gone, but we can still return stuff from our rooms and suites. Simply bring items back to the nearest dining hall. Dining will not ask any questions. Also, as a general reminder, reusable tableware is never intended to be taken from a dining hall: please always use a to-go container.

That was a lot of information, so here’s the TLDR:

• The problem 
  • Dining has lost a ton of reusable plates, silverware, and cups due to:
    • Students who take reusable items and don’t bring them back
    • Students who have stocked their rooms/suites with Dining’s tableware
• The consequences
  • Paper plates and bamboo silverware for everyone
  • Less money for Campus Dining events
  • The eventual likelihood of having to eat with the green-reuse containers in all dining halls 
• What you can do
  • Check if your suite/room has any plates, cups, or utensils from Dining
  • Bring everything back to the dining hall
  • Only take food to-go in to-go or green reuse containers 

Ultimately, whether we return to a normal experience is up to us. We appreciate your assistance in addressing this issue. If you have any questions, please reach out to caleb.w.boyer@vanderbilt.edu (VSG’s Campus Services Committee) or kelsey.keny@vanderbilt.edu (Campus Dining).

Best,
Caleb