The Lion’s Roar / Alex Brainard
Willie Dantzler serves students at her deli station, one of many stations in the Mane Dish.

The Student Union provides a place for students to come together and grab a bite. Some may choose fast food, while others choose the freshly cooked meals upon the second floor which is prepared by the cafeteria staff. These Mane Dish employees put time and effort into serving students foods that they love and eat each day.

“I really like the fish, the pizza and the burgers,” said junior social work major Sarah Barker. “It’s easy to eat and you don’t have to spice them or anything. I eat in the cafeteria once a day throughout the week. My favorite thing about the cafeteria is that it’s in a very convenient place.”  

The food served at the Mane Dish can take a long time to prepare. The workers never stop preparing meals for students who come by whether it be for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

“I do breakfast here and I do lunch here,” said cafeteria grill worker Benita Brown. “I work five days a week, from six to two.  I’ve been working at SLU for nine years. It’s a great job. Some of my memories are dealing with the students because they know me by name, and I know some of them by name. I treat them good. I treat them like a person because I had a child going to school. I make sure these kids get a good meal.”

The Mane Dish employees on campus have their own stations and foods they prepare. They work at different times, different days and always ensure there is food of all kinds to be served to the students who pay to eat.

“I’m a baker,” said Mane Dish employee Vickie Richardson. “I work in the bakery. I work Monday through Friday, eight hours a day. Some things I remember about SLU is how friendly the people are.”

While the food is fresh, both students and cafeteria workers have favorite dishes which are prepared on certain days.

“My favorite meal served is the fried fish,” said Richardson. “Fried fish is my favorite because it has a great taste. They know how to cook it.”

Out of all the hard work and time that the workers put into the cafeteria, each cafeteria staff member has a good time they remember and cherish.

“I have a lot of great memories,” said Mane Dish employee Nichole Cousain. “I love being here and meeting different students. I love serving to students every day. I love talking to them. I like doing everything.”

From cooking fried fish, hamburgers, hot dogs and other delights, students appreciate all the hard work Mane Dish employees put into their food.

“My favorite dish is the fried fish because it seems fresh,” said freshman marketing major Tyler Olivier. “However, my favorite thing about the cafeteria is it’s all you can eat.”  

Mane Dish daily menus can be found through the Southeastern website.