Students at the University of Southern Mississippi are voicing contrasting opinions on the newly renovated Fresh Food Company following its completion earlier this August.
Renovations at the Fresh Food Company, or “The Fresh,” began in March and continued throughout the spring and summer semesters. After some delays, students were welcomed to the redesigned dining hall on Aug. 11. About a month later, opinions on the changes remain divided.
Psychology and sociology junior Clay Tardiff expressed support for the new layout.
“I love it,” said Tardiff. “It's a lot more accommodating to people with allergens. It's a lot more user-friendly. I love it. A lot more easy on the eyes, too.”
Meanwhile, some students are critical of the changes. Southern Miss junior Jacob Majure said he dislikes the new design.
“Over in like the area to go left–over towards like Fuego and everything–is so cluttered now that like whenever it's busy, it's hard to get past,” Majure said. “There's a lot of people that you're always running into. It gets really hot in there. It's a lot louder than it used to be. I feel like the acoustics aren’t as good. The food is kind of like, spaced out in a weird way now. Actually, it doesn't make sense, in my opinion.”
Despite the differing views, many students continue to visit the Fresh daily. Renovations include new flooring, updated food stations, and a new entrance and front desk, according to Eagle Dining’s Instagram page. The project was completed in two phases, with the first starting in early March and the second in late May.
The Fresh serves as the primary dining hall on Southern Miss’s campus. Located in the Thad Cochran Center, it experiences heavy foot traffic daily. According to the Eagle Dining website, the Fresh provides a variety of meal options, including grilled, vegetarian, and allergen-friendly selections. It is the only campus location where students with residential meal plans can receive hourly meals at no additional cost. Payment options are also available for non-meal plan students.
Southern Miss’s Eagle Dining oversees and operates all campus restaurants, including the Fresh.