NC State Dining asked students to help celebrate our staff during Pride in Foodservice Week February 6 through 10, an event initiated by the Association of Nutrition & Foodservice Professionals to celebrate food service teams and their dedication to their jobs. And the response was phenomenal.
words of thanks from students
One of the most exciting aspects of NC State’s 2023 Foodservice Week was the incorporation of TxtandTell so that the campus community could submit comments with their appreciation and gratitude for team members. The service, used primarily for feedback on dining and facilities, brought in a flood of positive comments about team members and gratitude for all the hard work that they do. Students also were able to make cards and pin up notes on a board in Fountain Dining Hall for the food service teams. Overall, the responses sought to remind the food service teams of how much of an impact they make on the health and happiness of NC State’s campus.
Keith Smith, director of residential dining, shared how meaningful it was to have a strong response from the campus community: “These cards mean so much to our staff, ranging from simple notes of thanks to those that mentioned particular employees by name.”
“Thank you so much for all of the amazing food and kind staff! Going to Clark always puts a smile on my face. I really appreciate how much thought you put into your menus and making sure that we have a variety of good foods to eat every day.”
Several messages conveyed how much the food and engagement from the staff made them feel at home and welcomed. “Many of the cards even brought our staff to tears,” he added.
NC State Dining started participating in the event in 2021, during the pandemic, to recognize the contributions and hard work of our campus dining and nutrition teams. Shawn Hoch, senior director for dining and hospitality services, shared that “Our amazing staff serves over 30,000 meals per day and are among the first and last people to greet our students each day. It’s important that they know how valued they are by the Wolfpack Community.”
“I wanted to give my continual support that Nia and Ty and Cynthia work so hard and should get more praise and recognition. Although they have exhausting days they are willing to help with a smile and with passion. Happy food service week!”