To the Editor:

I was very disappointed to learn recently that employees at Yale Dining Services are not permitted to take excess food home to their families. The managers would apparently rather see the food fill garbage disposals. The attitude of these managers is both incomprehensible and unacceptable. Having worked in the dishroom during my college years, I remember well how much that food means when you don’t make much money — and I didn’t have children to feed.

One might argue that this practice would encourage employees to make more food than necessary and thereby abuse the privilege, but such an argument would be unconvincing. As highly regulated as the Yale Dining Services is with regard to menus and ingredients, it is implausible that food quantity is not dictated to employees as well.

Food should not be unnecessarily wasted; the managers’ prohibition should end.

Kristen Smith GRD ’05

April 2, 2002