Tuesday, Jun 18, 2013
Full Menus with Nutritional Information
'53 Commons is Dartmouth's all-you-care-to-eat dining facility. Opened in the Fall of 2011, '53 Commons offers a full selection from pizza and burgers to vegan, kosher and halal food. While we offer the old college standards, we focus on healthy and international cuisine. One meal swipe or entry charge gets access to a large variety of ever changing menus. You can eat as little or as much as you want without the hassle of standing in the check-out line again for something you may have forgotten. You can see what's on the menu by visiting our online nutritional site.
Since our guests do have to pay for meals upon entering the dining area, anyone wishing to spend time in the dining area for purposes other than dining are also required to pay for a meal.
You can use a swipe (SmartChoice plan meal) or pay the "door price" with Flex DBA, Dartmouth Student Charge, DASH discretionary, cash, credit card, departmental charge, or an employee charge.
anyone can eat in '53 Commons, but meal plans are not transferable. If you wish to bring a guest to a meal, please plan on paying the door price.
Yes, you can purchase meals at 53 Commons with any of the purchase methods mentioned above.
The standard door prices will be $7.75 for breakfast, $10.25 for lunch/brunch, $13.95 for dinner and $7.75 after 8:30 PM (Summer Term Only). A few event/theme dinners each year will feature special food and may have a higher door price. (For instance the annual Lobster/Clambake dinner).
53 Commons will stop serving food at 8:30 PM (10:00 pm during Summer Term) The Cafe at the Collis Center will be open until 1:30 am every day. Click here to find out what venues are open each hour of the day and day of the week.
What is now '53 Commons has had several minor renovations since it was Built in 1927. Many classes knew the building simply as Thayer. In the early 90s it was Full Fare and for around a decade before the renovations it housed several separate cafes that together were known as the Food Court or FoCo. Thanks to the Class of 1953, we've been able to fully modernize the old facility. Out of respect for the accomplishments and generosity of the Class of '53, we no longer refer to the area as FoCo, but many around campus still do.
Our full carry-out policy is available here
If you are eating in '53 Commons you are welcome to take a piece of fruit, a cookie or an ice cream cone with you. All other food must stay within the dining hall.
Only members of the Dartmouth Community can take food to go. You must be either an enrolled student, or current member of the faculty or staff. Members of the general public are welcome in '53 Commons, but getting take out food is not available. Group cards (meal plans that are not assigned to a Dartmouth issued ID) are not eligible for take out meals.
Having meals to go at an all you care to eat dining facility is extremely rare. While the concepts do not mix, we like to be able to offer this option to the Dartmouth Community. In order to continue our to-go program, we do need to limit the amount of food to one reasonable meal. To do this, we will give you a good sized container to collect your food. We do ask that the lid be able to close, and that you limit yourself to 2 entree portions.
If you are a member of the Dartmouth Community, ask the cashier upon entering. You will be given a to-go container and a cup.
We do ask that you limit your time to a reasonable amount to collect a single meal. Usually this is 10 minutes, although the cashier may let you have longer if you come during a peak period when the lines might be a little long. We need to be fair to other customers and attempt to keep meal costs as low as possible. If customers ask for a single meal to go, and end up having one meal in '53 Commons and taking a second to go, it drives up the cost per meal, which eventually must be paid by the entire Dartmouth Community.
Once you commit to taking a meal with you, you must collect the meal and leave. If you take an unreasonable amount of time or eat in the dining room, you may be charged the door price for a second meal.
Cups are for liquids only. If you wish to have a cup of soup or some cereal to go, please ask the cashier for a hot cup.
Members of the Dartmouth Community can use any payment option to get a meal to go.
Sarner Underground, a new 24-hour social space opened in the Fall of 2012. The space includes 3 lounges, a meeting room, and a large event space. This space is available only for Dartmouth students and is managed by the Collis Center for Student Involvement. Recognized student groups can make reservation requests by visiting webviewer.dartmouth.edu.
Dining rooms can be reserved as social spaces after 9:30 PM during Fall, Winter and Spring Terms. Due to extended summer hours, spaces are not available during Summer Term. Please contact DDS if you would like to reserve dining space for an event during interim periods.
The dining rooms in '53 Commons are primarily spaces for student dining. Several dining rooms on the top floor are available for group reservations, but we cannot reserve tables within dining rooms. The North Dining Room and the South Dining Room cannot be reserved during normal operating hours.
Please keep in mind that any attendees of meetings held in the dining rooms during normal dining hours will be required to purchase a meal in order to attend.
Sarner Underground is available only to students. Only recognized student groups can reserve event space. For more questions regarding reservations, please contact the Collis Center.
The Paganucci Lounge is overseen by the Collis Center and can be reserved by any college entity. College entities can reserve select dining spaces, but priority will always be given to recognized student groups. Only recognized student groups can reserve the Sarner Underground or dining rooms after hours.
Reservations must be requested using the webviewer.
College entities are welcome to hold meetings in '53 Commons. Room 204, the private dining room, seats around 16 people and is the most commonly requested space. Some larger dining areas in the upstairs portion of '53 Commons can be reserved, but the open nature of the space does not lend itself to private meetings.
All guests entering the dining portion of '53 Commons are required to purchase a meal to enter the dining hall.
If you would like to purchase meals for guests, please contact dartmouth.dining.services@dartmouth.edu.
In order to allow our last customers to eat comfortably and give us time to clean the space, reservations cannot be made until after 1 hour past the official closing time for dining.
Furniture cannot be moved during normal dining. The furniture can be moved for after-hours events, but the sponsoring organization is responsible for moving the furniture prior to the event and returning the space to its original configuration after the event. Please contact dartmouth.dining.services@dartmouth.edu prior to moving any furniture.
A catering waiver is required for any events in the Paganucci Lounge where DDS is not the caterer. Please contact dartmouth.dining.services@dartmouth.edu for details.
DDS does not maintain a full-service catering department, but may be able to provide limited catering, as long as student dining is not adversely affected. If you wish to have an event or meeting catered in the Collis Center, please contact Mike Ricker. For all other inquiries, please contact Matthew C. Smith.
Only DDS may cater events within the dining areas of '53 Commons. Organizations wishing to have events catered in the Paganucci Lounge must obtain a waiver from DDS.
DDS does provide full-service catering for reunion classes during C&R and interim period. Due to our focus on feeding students, we are unable to offer catering during fall reunions. For questions regarding reunion catering, please contact Matthew C. Smith.
