Management by Professional Firm Lowers Harkness Dining Hall's Operational Costs

Under the direction of Stouffer's Management Food Service, the Harkness Commons Dining Hall has lost $34,000 less so far this year than it did when run by the University in 1959-1960.

Students said yesterday that the food and service are better than when the University ran the dining hall. "The food has improved a great deal, there is more variety, and the menus are more imaginative," stated one.

Last year, after the dining hall began to sell meals either singly or by the week, the annual deficit increased from $14,000 to $57,000. According to Carle T. Tucker, director of the University Dining Halls, the food service was hired to run Harkness because Stouffer's is "particularly adapted" to this method of selling meals.

Stouffer's made a profit of $700 in February but is still $5400 in the red for the school year. In February of 1960 the University lost $5200.

Because more students are eating in Harkness than did so in 1959-60, the dining hall is grossing seven per cent more than a year ago. Twenty-five fewer students are buying meals on the weekly basis, but a large increase in the number of meals purchased singly has more than compensated for this drop.

Warren T. Thompson, who is running the Dining Hall for Stouffer's, said that he hoped to increase the services offered by the hall. Besides a further improvement in the food, he said he "dreamed" about adding a third serving line and a bakery shop.