The Edge Ends Signature Dine-in Option

This fall, The Edge Café, one of Colgate’s three venues for on-cam­pus dining, ended its restaurant-style dining service. In the fall of 2010, responding to the large in­flux of the class of 2014, the Edge began serving regularly at lunch­time with soup and pasta specials and a wide variety of “market-to-go” options. While this new op­tion was largely successful, mem­bers of Colgate University Dining Services took note of the decrease of number of customers for dinner at the Edge.

The Cutting Edge Bistro, which opened its doors as the on campus restaurant-style dining center in Sep­tember of 2007, has been a decline in reservations over the past few years. When the Edge was first in­troduced to the Colgate campus, the dining hall saw between 130 to 150 students per night. By last March and April, the Edge had 40 to 50 diners a night.

When weighed against the larger dining halls, Curtis E. Frank and the O’Connor Campus Center, the Cut­ting Edge Bistro, “does not compare at all,” Director of Dining Services George Murray said.

Additionally, the Edge cannot ac­commodate the number of diners that Frank or the Coop can, and with a year-long crowd of around 120 to 140 students at lunchtime, the staff decided to carry this service through to dinner.

“We want to provide a service that people use,” Murray said.

Based on the high number of lunch­time diners, Murray and the staff decided to end restaurant-style dining and replace it with what is available to students during lunch hours.

“We are trying something different there,” Murray said.

The change has been in place for less than one month, but Murray is optimistic.

“I anticipate that [the numbers] will con­tinue to go up once students settle into their schedules,” Murray said.

For some students, however, the closing of the restaurant-style bistro is a disappointment.

“I have fond memories of the Edge and not necessarily as a dating spot. It was a great place for my friends and I to have a convenient sit-down dinner and talk about the highs and lows of our days,” senior Natalie George said.

Other students are confused about the change, claiming it undermines the original intent of this dining option.

“I thought the Edge was made in order to encourage more dating on campus so I think the boxed food completely defeats the purpose,” sophomore Erin McNally said.

The changes to the dining hall oc­curred in large part without student knowledge, and many are still unaware of the new options.

Student workers and staff were not affected by this change. All former staff members, who are still on campus, main­tained their hours either at the Edge or other dining halls, such as Frank and Donovan’s Pub.

Colgate University Dining Services believes that the change to the Edge Café will be cost-effective and will increase the numbers in the dining hall as a whole.

“I think [this option] will become popular for dinner as well,” Murray said. The changes have been put in place, but for now, Murray said, “we have to give it some time.”

Contact Taylor Fleming at tfleming@colgate.edu.