On UMass Amherst’s campus in beautiful Western Massachusetts, nestled at the foot of Central residential area, tucked away on a sleepy side street lies campus’s most victimized dining hall: Franklin Dining Commons. Perhaps it’s the square shape, the dated wallpaper, or the lack of spoons that makes this dining hall a good cheap shot for most of the students, but this slander needs to end!
Sure, Frank might not be the most up-to-date dining hall, but it’s reliable! It’s easily accessible from both Central and Orchard Hill residential areas, and far more preferable than risking your life looking for a seat at Worcester. Frank always has an open seat, good options, and has some specialties that are *chef’s kiss*.
Frank remains unmatched through underdog ways. Kids at college don’t think they miss certain foods from home until they have them. I remember last semester, when the closest dining hall by far to me was Worcester, and all I wanted was a grilled cheese sandwich. My stomach would growl at the idea, and it cast Woo’s options in a very bad light. However, do you know who has grilled cheese sandwiches? As well as a sandwich bar that doesn’t take longer than 15 minutes? That’s right, our knight in shining brick armor.
Another curveball Frank throws is their hard ice cream selection. At one end of the dining hall, near the dish room, there is a freezer with a wonderful selection of scoop-it-yourself hard ice cream. It has toppings galore and plenty of variety so you can get your cool on any time of year.
My hypothesis for the ongoing hatred is that the majority of anti-Frank sentiment tends to come from the southern end of campus. More specifically, the southwestern end of campus. I’m not pointing any fingers, but most people who I hear coming for Frank’s good name tend to occupy places such as Berkshire or Hampshire, completely unaware of the gem laying to the north. Now, Berk and Hamp are both good dining halls, and this is not a Berk or Hamp slander article, but I’m just saying that people who only inhabit those places of eating tend to look down at others of different places. To quote one YikYak from Sept. 19, 2021, “A 10 at Frank is a 4 at Hamp.” Are these the kind of sentiments you’d expect from people with a good opinion of food?
One thing I’ve noticed that most people don’t like about Frank is its inherent… grunginess. I’d argue, however, that Frank is not grimy or sad or any other negative adjective; Frank is camp. “Camp” is defined as an aesthetic style prioritized and beloved for its bad taste or out of irony, and is a common term in many LGBTQ+ spaces. Frank embodies a homey feeling, making college seem less of a steel-and-glass monster and more of a kitschy little dining hall nestled among the trees.
I will leave you with one closing statement, coming straight from the heart: stop being mean to Frank!
Can’t get enough of HC UMass Amherst? Be sure to follow us on Instagram, listen to us on Spotify, like us on Facebook, and read our latest Tweets!