In an effort to begin improving campus services, the CSUS Foundation recently commissioned an online survey for the University Center Restaurant.

The restaurant, located in the University Union, loses money every year, said Matt Altier, vice president of capital planning and resource development.

Altier said the hope is to raise the visibility of the restaurant by finding out people’s preferences through the survey.

“It’s the first phase of trying to improve some of our services,” Altier said. “We have over 400 responses (to the survey) to work from.”

Stephanie Ewing, a registered dietitian and spokeswoman for dining services, talked about why the survey was commissioned.

“We wanted to find out if people know if there’s a restaurant and they use it,” Ewing said.

“We also wanted to find out the reasons why they are using it and to make sure we’re meeting those needs.”

Ewing also said it was important to establish a “baseline benchmark for where we need to go.”

The survey asks questions about food preference, type of service (menu, buffet or a combination of the two), food selection (upscale fine dining, eclectic, bistro), preferences about longer dining hours and whether people want the restaurant to be open for breakfast or dinner in addition to lunch or a combination of any two of the three.

Ewing said the current theme of the restaurant is upscale, but a person can get a hamburger, too.

“You can go to the restaurant, have a nice little lunch date and be waited on,” Ewing said. “Being able to provide the service is important.”

There is no specific dress code for the restaurant, Ewing said, and students are welcome as long as they are “dressed appropriately.”

Derek Wichman, a junior business major, said he knew where the restaurant was located but had not eaten there.

“I think the entrance is a little deceiving and not very inviting,” Wichman said.

Two sociology majors, junior Breana Ehrhardt and senior Erin Best, both said they are always looking for an alternative to the other fare, such as pizza, offered on campus.

“I have never heard of (the restaurant) and never go over there,” Ehrhardt said.

“I never go out that exit (of the Union),” Best said. “I look at the paper and never see anything about it.”

Many organizations on campus use the restaurant. One such organization, the University Staff Assembly, has its monthly meeting there.

Cindy Collins, president of the organization, said the restaurant setting works great for the assembly’s meetings.

“It is important to have a place where they respect your in and out time,” Collins said. “It is really nice to bring people on campus, give them a tour and then end up at a place for a nice lunch.”

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Larry Meade can be reached at [email protected]