Let’s take a tour around Florida State University’s main campus dining facilities and see how sustainable each restaurant is in light of the pandemic.
Suwannee Room
Rank: Four out of five stars
The Suwannee Room is the main dining hall on campus conveniently located by several residence halls and nearby Landis Green. As a result of COVID-19 restrictions and policies being bettered over time, the Suwannee Room now allows students to use porcelain plates and real utensils to dine on before returning them to the dish pit to be re-used. Suwannee Room has also implemented the Ozzi reusable to-go containers as an everyday amenity of Seminole Dining. These iconic green boxes are perfect to use if you need to grab your food quickly before heading to class or back to the residence hall. Suwannee Room even allows students to return their Ozzi to-go box without being washed. This eliminates their biggest form of waste from last semester: the disposable and one-use utensils, and styrofoam to-go plates.
Chick-fil-A
Rank: Two out of five stars
Chick-fil-A is a popular fast food restaurant on campus. Chick-fil-A promises cruelty-free chicken and the use of local farms. Most of their food is packed in recyclable materials such as cardboard or paper, but they use styrofoam for their cups. Chick-fil-A does not allow you to bring your own dishes for the food. Chick-fil-A does not offer any chance to reduce or reuse, but does allow student customers the ability to recycle. Therefore, the sustainability of Chick-fil-A is not the greatest.
The Den
Rank: One out of five stars
The Den is the beloved spinoff of Denny’s located next to the Traditions parking garage. The Den does not offer any reusable plates or utensils even though the restaurant allows dine-in dining areas. Their to-go packaging is primarily composed of styrofoam pancake plates and boxes, and cardboard sandwich boxes. Very few of the materials used for packing are recyclable at this restaurant. The Den, similarly to Chick-fil-A, does not allow students the opportunity to bring their own dishes, such as the Ozzi box. Despite the delicious taste of the food served at The Den, it is not very sustainable for the environment.
Subway
Rank: Four out of five stars
Subway may be a popular fast food restaurant, but they do not carry lightly their commitment to social responsibility and their promise to be sustainable. Subway prides themselves on their environmental leadership, where they hold a steadfast commitment to sustainable agriculture, packaging, resource conservation and even climate action. The packing at the campus location of Subway currently uses 100 percent recycled materials for all napkins, towels and tissues. Their sandwich wrap is 40 percent post-consumer fiber and their plastic bowls and lids are made with 25 percent recycled material. Furthermore, Subway is committed to responsible sourcing of their food supply: their seafood and tuna supply come locally from Florida waters. Subway has banned the use of all Albacore and Tongol products in an effort to stay environmentally conscious. However, Subway does not allow students to use the Ozzi box or other dishes provided by customers due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tuscan Eatery
Rank: Two out of five stars
Tuscan Eatery is one of three restaurants currently inside 1851 Dining Hall located at Azalea Residence Hall. 1851 is the newest dining hall to campus and the food is delicious. Tuscan Eatery offers a classic Italian menu where you can watch your food be cooked in a 600°F wood-fired grill. Although they are an extension of Seminole Dining just as Suwannee Room is, all of their food packagings are designed to only be used once. Much of their packaging is styrofoam and thus, not recyclable. However, this restaurant does allow you to bring your cup for drinks. They also do not allow the Ozzi box container or other dishes provided by the customer to be used like Suwannee Room does.
Tally Mac Shack
Rank: Three out of five stars
The Tally Mac Shack is the second restaurant within 1851 Dining Hall. This restaurant is owned by Tallahassee native Justin Cruz and is known for serving gourmet mac and cheese dishes. The Tally Mac Shack receives its food supply from a local vendor, making it one of campus’ only restaurants to have a local food supply. The bowls used by the Tally Mac Shack are plastic, but easily reusable once washed. Even more amazing, when there is not a worldwide pandemic, this restaurant will use bowls and Ozzi boxes provided by the customer.
Vatos Tacos
Rank: Five out of five stars
Vatos Tacos is the third and final restaurant located in the 1851 Dining Hall. This restaurant is extremely popular among students on Taco Tuesday, the day that the restaurant tries out new menu items such as this week’s “Langosta Bits,” which are made with lobster. Vatos Tacos receives its food supply from the same local food vendor as the Tally Mac Shack. Vatos Tacos uses cardboard boxes and paper made out of decomposable materials and their nacho box is made out of recyclable plastic. This restaurant has a local food supply and the food packaging materials are almost completely made out of plastic. Prior to COVID-19 settling in as a pandemic, this restaurant will use bowls and Ozzi boxes provided by the customer.
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