As the last days of the fall semester came to a close, construction in the Orleans Room had just begun.

The OR’s dish return system was renovated with a new layout, conveyor belt, as well as an automatic sanitizing system. The old system of washing dishes ended after many years of use and breakdowns.

“The old dish return had reached its life expectancy so students should notice a considerable improvement to the aesthetics of the dining environment,” said John Coleman, resident dining and marketing manager for Loyola Dining Services.

The old dish return system had been in place since 1985, so the university had “recognized the need to install a more efficient and aesthetically pleasing dish return for quite some time,” Coleman said. The overall cost of the updates amounted to $65,000.

Kalen Sanger, biology freshman, said that changes have improved the overall dining atmosphere. She said that the old washing system was “loud, squeaky, smelly and did not work half the time.”

Coleman said he thinks the new system will improve the dining experience.

“Since the dish return is at the end of a diner’s experience in the Orleans Room, the least it will do is remove the lasting impression our old return left, and hopefully replace it with a more wholesome dining experience,” Coleman said.

Recently, other improvements have been made to the serving area and the new dish system was the last part of those renovations, Coleman said.

“Hopefully, (these changes) will hold us over until we are blessed with a new dining hall,” Coleman said.

Lucy Dieckhaus can be reached at [email protected]