Tell us: Dining services

[CommunityEditor]

The Air Force is looking at changes to the way it provides dining services. Do you think your DFACs are adequate? How often do you eat there? What do you think could be better about your on-base dining experience? What would you change? What would you keep as is?

[Measure Man]

I eat there pretty much daily.

Our Chow Hall is great!

[MACHINE666]

They always smell disgusting and quality of the food has always been substandard. I've purposely purchased groceries during the times I was forced to live on a meal card, just to avoid eating there, even if it meant paying out of pocket. I could tailor my diet to my needs specifically and eat food I know wasn't going to go to waste.

[omertalifestyle]

The only Chow Halls I liked were the ones in Basic and Tech School...Basic just because I was very hungry because of all the stuff we were doing and Techschool because of the way they cooked the food...those Texans know how to cook.

A few changes to the menu wouldn't be bad though...The same stuff has been doled out to me for the last 8 years... I could probably recite the food to you if I really thought about it

Also, if your going to cook fish...cook it right...everytime I have had the fish it was rock hard and I felt like I was chewing leather.

The only real problems I have had DFAC wise though (and I know its because of money) was when I was TDY to a Red Flag base. They did not have their budgets upped for us to eat there but we were mandated to eat there so they were feeding us some of the crappiest food I have ever eaten just cause they were reusing everything (what was meatloaf on Monday, was Meatballs on Tuesday, and then Sheppards Pie on Wednesday....etc.). I would say up the food budget for Red Flag bases so that they can handle the extra people.

A flightline kitchen that serves more than just Hamburgers and Fried Food. Osan has a Flightline Kitchen that has all meal items offered at the regular DFAC, plus a salad and Soup Bar. Shaw on the other hand is heart attack Central...no offense to the people that work there, they have a tiny space to work with.

[alaskaresident]

Shaw was aweful. I spent a year in the dorms before getting married and it was the same thing week after week. It never changed, you always knew what you were going to eat day in day out. There was no variety at all. Yeah I was on a meal card but I can spend about $75 out of pocket at Walmart on groceries and live off of that for a month. I was one of the lucky dorm rats that had a kitchen in my room and it was used on a daily basis. Alot of time my roommate and I would split the cost of groceries and take turns cooking.

[bb stacker]

i wouldnt feed half of what they serve to my dog. tastless, dried out, cold, crap. i think the only thing that is consistantly good is the salad bar, and thats only because its something that a monkey can stock.

can you tell im really looking forward to lunch with the commander tomorrow.

[sanguines]

I haven't had a meal card in several years, but I occasionally (2-3x a month) will pay to eat lunch at the dfac. I like it. Occasionally you'll have a bad meal there, but overall, it's really not terrible. I don't delude myself into thinking I'm eating very healthily there, though, and maybe that's the rub overall.

[BRUWIN]

I don't understand why a dining hall is even required anymore. Give everybody BAS and be done with it. It would probably save money. During war, MREs or contract dining arrangements already exist forward for the most part.

[ringjamesa]

I always thought it was pretty good-esp when it was free. I wasn't too keen on it being my ONLY option but for the most part, the food is fine. Some of it I wouldn't eat but that is why there are options. I have eaten at lots of them-Grand Forks, Ramstein, Sembach, Kapaun, Lackland, Sheppard, Charleston, Cannon, Robins etc... I have also eaten at a Navy Galley-was not impressed with the faciility but the food was fine...

[4Runner]

I eat there at least 3 times per week. I also do the same on just about every TDY I go on. Overall I would say they do a good job. Variety is often lacking, and they underestimate the more popular food items. Some are managed better than others so the food and service is better. I have seen private vendors set up food sample displays. Basically you try several and fill out a questioner. Some of this food is outstanding. Recomendations are below and not in order.

Best
Eglin: Best selection and service
Hill: Best Salad Bar
Elmendorf
Langley
Misawa
Yokota
Dyess

Not Recommended:
Kadena
Tyndall: Worst Salad Bar seen to date.
Sheppard
Lackland
Osan
Maxwell