One major change to the Penn Valley campus this semester has been in the food service department. Treat America has taken over, and brought a new level of management and efficiency to Penn Valley's cafeteria, Cafe Scout.

The operating hours have not changed. Cafe Scout is still open from 7am until 1:30pm Monday-Friday.

The food is much different. Besides the usual burger, fries, and chicken-strip fare, new manager Dennis Humphrey has introduced fresh-baked breads, personal pizzas, and deli sandwiches made to order.

New Atrium Cafe

Though there hasn’t been much of a demand, vegetarian and health-conscious menu items are also being considered.

The Penn Valley Card is another new addition this semester. These "rechargeable, declining balance cards," as Humphrey put it, are essentially debit cards. They are already available and can be purchased in the Food Service Office for 50 dollars apiece. This gives you 50 dollars of credit to Cafe Scout and the Atrium Cafe. The cards can be purchased with cash, check, Visa, or MasterCard. They are rechargeable in five dollar increments - though if you use a check, it can be for no less than 50 dollars. By next semester, Treat America is hoping that the debit cards will be tied in with the financial aid program and that they will be issued to students along with their tuition. By next fall, the goal is to be able to recharge the cards online. This is, of course, all relative to how the cards are received by students. In addition to the new order of cleanliness, Cafe Scout will focus on customer service, helping to make it a friendlier, more appealing place for students to get something to eat. “We’re trying to streamline the presentation,” said Humphrey.

The new Atrium Cafe is another addition you’ve surely noticed. It’s a convenient place to grab a cup of coffee or a sandwich before heading off to class. The coffee and espresso quality are comparable to Starbucks, and a few dollars cheaper, too.

This could be considered a trial effort. Treat America is still looking for ways to enhance your experience at Cafe Scout. The Penn Valley Cards are a first for Treat America. Though they have used them previously in corporate and industrial environments, this is the first time they have been implemented on a college campus. They are anxious for your feedback.

Copyright 2006 Metropolitan Community College