The Pros and Cons of Family-Style Dining
Pippa Netreba (‘26), Staff Writer
For more than 50 years, family-style dining has been a staple of life in the Casady community. However, with the addition of Kirby Hall, students are wondering whether this time-honored tradition is worth preserving. By hearing from students and alumni, it’s clear that family-style dining is as controversial as it is traditional.
With rotations every two weeks, Casady's communal dining creates opportunities for conversation with people outside of a particular social group, which creates a tight-knit community. While the dining hall may get loud at times, the laughter and group conversations make it all worthwhile. Alumni Eric West (‘92) recalls his time at the lunch table fondly: “We felt like a family together, and nowadays family-style dining isn't practiced at home, so it's even more important to practice at school.” While some argue that assigned seating is stifling, it teaches students to talk with others they may disagree with and to observe behaviors they may not have experienced otherwise. These views don't just come from graduates; current students like Jolie Jimenez (‘26) remark that family-style dining lets you talk with peers “who you might not have ever shared a class with.” The benefits of family-style dining extend far beyond social development; it also works to build life skills and manners for adult life. Lessons in sharing, patience, and general table manners start in the lower and middle divisions and are reinforced throughout the upper division. Not only that, family-style dining also helps students learn to make independent decisions regarding portion sizes and variety.
Not everyone believes that family-style dining needs to stay in the upper division. Over this history of Casady, the practice has changed immensely. Ashley Edwards (‘90) notes that manners and table skills are no longer enforced. She recalls being pestered about elbows on the table and napkins in laps, a seriousness that is no longer experienced by students as of late. Additionally, numerous students report not receiving enough food or struggling to share dishes among the entire table. Grace Henry (‘26) and Serena Lin (‘28) mention arguments over what constitutes a serving, constant refills, and one person taking half of the main dish before letting others eat, making lunch a dreaded time. While some students appreciate the assigned seating, others find themselves wishing there was more freedom to sit with whom they want. Askim Noland (‘26) notices that the assigned seating “just makes students eat faster to get out of an awkward situation,” resulting in an uncomfortable dining experience for all.
Kirby Hall will become the new Upper Division dining center next year. While the final system hasn’t been decided, student input can help shape the future. Opinions are mixed, but the conversation highlights the challenge of balancing past traditions, present experiences, and future possibilities.
