[fullsmash26]

Originally Posted by PTGregD

In the grand scheme of things however, the name doesn't really matter. If the service/food/alcohol suck, it wouldn't matter if it was still called Quarters.

But the bar is going to look different. Sure, the management didn't change but the MSU got themselves a brand new VIP lounge for club nights.

If I were dictator, I mean president of the MSU, I would have closed Quarters.

After closing Quarters, I would move the MSU offices into the space.

With the beautiful space that presently houses the MSU, I would have opened a 24 hour coffee shop and grill.

Imagine the improvement to student life by creating move study space and a 24 hr coffee place on campus. Not to mention the MSU offices are housed in the best space of the entire student centre.

When I transferred from the University of Manitoba, I immediately noticed that the McMaster Students' Union took up the best space with their offices and gave whatever space was left over to student use.

The University of Manitoba Students' Union was in the basement of the student centre and the prime space was taken up by an amazing affordable restaurant and a 24/7 coffee house / pool hall.

Many student politicians from across Canada have noted to me they had the same shock when visiting the McMaster Students Union.

[huzaifa47]

Originally Posted by fullsmash26

.


Imagine the improvement to student life by creating move study space and a 24 hr coffee place on campus. Not to mention the MSU offices are housed in the best space of the entire student centre.

When I transferred from the University of Manitoba, I immediately noticed that the McMaster Students' Union took up the best space with their offices and gave whatever space was left over to student use.

The University of Manitoba Students' Union was in the basement of the student centre and the prime space was taken up by an amazing affordable restaurant and a 24/7 coffee house / pool hall.

Many student politicians from across Canada have noted to me they had the same shock when visiting the McMaster Students Union.

Wow! I never imagined that the location of the MSU office is such a prime space!

Come to think of it, the plus point here is that which potential BOD member wouldn't want to dream of an office with sweeping views of the Mills courtyard and the centre of campus; his minions, sorry students milling about their daily lifes, their assignments their notes and academic life while he lounges sipping martinis and laughing like a dictator plotting his plans to spend student money? Compared to a dingy dark basement hideout! Like In the real world all employees(after graduating with honours) start in a tiny dark cubicle, and stay there for years till they get a position with a "window" office!
p.s: This is a lame attempt at cynical humour

[Chris]

Naming a bar after numbers doesn't make it modern or classy...It really doesn't matter what it's called though, if they stop making nachos with cheez wiz I'll be happy.

[feonateresa]

Lol, none of the names suggested were classy. 1280 is modern though I'd think.

[micadjems]

Originally Posted by Chris

if they stop making nachos with cheez wiz I'll be happy.

Exactly. No name change or renovation will make the crappy food, service, employees or patrons less crappy.

So they better get on that. (They could have saved a lot of money...)

[Phoenix]

Originally Posted by Chris

Naming a bar after numbers doesn't make it modern or classy...It really doesn't matter what it's called though, if they stop making nachos with cheez wiz I'll be happy.

lol you just have to ask for real cheese

[deadpool]

Usually Quarters hire a ragtag staff of randos to get on the kitchen, all led by the one kitchen manager. From what I know they are going to hire more full-time people who have culinary training/experience of some sort so that there is a more consistent, and better trained staff team.

This allows for proper morning prep and junk so that people can actually do stuff like grate cheese and cut out the crappy nacho cheese.

In short, food quality and speed WILL improve 100%. Last year when looking into the problems at Quarters, this was one of the major things that needed to be worked on. Previous SRAs had always said "no we need to create student jobs" and so the kitchen suffered a great deal. This SRA has atleast made it clear that they want to do whatever it takes to make sure service is improved.

(in other news, having seen the list of new wait staff, it seems as if they are hiring people with previous restaurant serving experience as well! Whoo!)

[PTGregD]

That sounds like a big step forward Rohan. Let's hope it works out!

[deadpool]

Another rumor I heard is that they are looking into bringing in a new daytime restaurant supervisor, with experience in the industry. If this is indeed true, and does happen, we should be able to see drastic changes on the floor and from the kitchen.

[huzaifa47]

Originally Posted by deadpool

Previous SRAs had always said "no we need to create student jobs" and so the kitchen suffered a great deal. This SRA has atleast made it clear that they want to do whatever it takes to make sure service is improved.

(in other news, having seen the list of new wait staff, it seems as if they are hiring people with previous restaurant serving experience as well! Whoo!)

Quick random question, So do you think(Since of most people around here you do seem to have some good insider info On Quarters) that this whole "creating student jobs" notion has been a major reason for the overall percieved lack of "quality"(Service and most of all FOOD) at Quarters?

I mean, myself along with I'm sure most people are FOR student jobs but is it really worth having them to the point that it leads to a 400k deficiet and a derelict and forgettable experience for its patrons?

In all senses of practicality if we hire ALL seasoned employees(I'm sure Mac has students who have worked in Kitchens for 5-6 years) and give Quarters a good name, get some profit then use it to create some other jobs; won't that be a better option? :S

[deadpool]

My own personal opinion is that Quarters has suffered a great deal because of its kitchen.

From talking to numerous people, including kitchen staff (present and former), floor staff, bar staff, management and previous patrons, I believe this viewpoint exists internally as well.

The problem that I personally see is that Quarters caters to students. Staff are students, and so the management schedules people around classes, exams and so forth. No other restaurant is that accommodating.

So, when the kitchen manager works a full day, he ends up working with many different people, all of whom are pulling 3 hour shifts and such because they have classroom commitments and what not. This means that there isn't enough time for people to be trained in the kitchen. Moreover, the lack of full-time staff means that the brunt of prep for the day is left to the kitchen manager.

Basically his day starts at 5am each day, prepping for a 9am open and working till about 5pm. As is the case with anyone else in food service, he is burnt out, and doesn't have the assistance needed to keep up with the quality of food, disciplining and training workers etc.

--

As far as I am concerned, the aim of the MSU shouldn't be to blindly create jobs that can be held by students. Instead I think that certain departments should have jobs that would help students attain experience necessary for their career paths.

We're not a school with a culinary program, so I don't particularly think that prioritizing students jobs when we have a pretty bad kitchen set-up is the way to go.

[dacrown4life]

is it called 1280 because thats the mac address?
plus i dont understand why they are changing the name

[Phoenix]

yeah its 1280 because of the mac address...it has a nice ring to it. I think the main reason for the name change is that since its a brand new bar with a completly new layout, a name-change would better suit the new place.

[Boccaccio]

Yup, the main reason for the name change is that a major rennovation and reconstruction of an entire bar needs a new name to match the transition. If we kept the name Quarters many individuals would maintain the image of the previous failing Quarters and not the new improved bar.

I must say that I am very excited and the BOD and SRA are working hard to make sure that this is a place that every Mac student can be proud

[Willmountain]

In the good words of Borat: "I likeeee!"