News

Wynn Dining facility makes changes to meet budget needs

  • Published
  • By Holly Birchfield
  • 78 ABW/PA
Robins Air Force Base, Ga. --  Cutbacks in meal time availability and a new policy that requires Airmen to be in uniform to get takeout orders are among some of the changes made to help the Wynn Dining Facility save money.

The facility's changes came about the first part of 2008 to accommodate food service budget cuts at Robins.

Bob Sharples, Combat Support Flight chief in the 78th Mission Support Group's Services Division, who oversees food operations at the base, said Robins's food budget allocation was cut by $400,000 from its previous year's budget, so the facility had to make cuts in certain areas.

"At the beginning of the fiscal year, our food service contract came in at about $2.9 million, which was $400,000 short of the budgeted amount," he said. "Our meal card customers are our number one (priority). We had to take a hard look at areas of usage, supplies, and this sort of thing."

Mr. Sharples said his staff looked at operating hours and tried to cut them in areas of low customer flow time so the change wouldn't have a great impact on service. The facility's lunch period has been cut by a half hour, making lunch available at 11 a.m. instead of the original 10:30 start time. The dinner shift was cut by an hour, and the facility's midnight meal was eliminated to save money.

The Wynn Dining Facility's midnight meal was cut due to its low turnout, Mr. Sharples said.

"Taking a look at the midnight meal, we only saw that maybe 10 percent of all meal cardholders were utilizing that time, which represents about 20 people," he said. "So, a decision was made to consolidate that midnight meal with the flight kitchen."

While the flightline kitchen's breakfast meal was cut, the Wynn Dining Facility's 6 to 8 a.m. breakfast time remained. Take out options have also been changed.

Mr. Sharples said Airmen now have to be in uniform to pick up takeout orders, a measure that will most likely cut down on the amount of such orders.

"Paper products, carryout ware, Styrofoam cups, (and) Styrofoam ware is very expensive," he said. "Carryout is meant for those folks on duty, such as Security Forces, and gate guards, to take back to their posts."

Mr. Sharples said he thinks serving takeout to only those in uniform will save about $36,000 a year on the contract.

Many Airmen have noticed a difference in drink cup sizes at the dining facility.

Mr. Sharples said the Air Force's standard Styrofoam drink cup size for takeout orders is now 12 ounces. The 24-ounce Styrofoam carryout cups once offered cost the facility more money than the beverage served, so it was an item that had to be cut.

While the measures taken may save money, some Airmen aren't happy about the changes.

Airman 1st Class Misty Mahlerwein, an administrative assistant in the 78th Air Base Wing Command Section who eats at the Wynn Dining Facility about four or five times a week, said the changes don't leave Airmen many options.

"I think the change with the actual takeout procedures is a little messed up," she said. "We have no option to get BAS (Basic Allowance Subsistence). That money is taken directly out of our funds and paid to the dining facility. We use our (Common Access Cards) every time we go in. So they're pretty much making us pay for a facility that they're giving us regulations on."

The 25-year-old Cincinnati native said with Airmen providing financial support to the facility through their BAS, the facility should provide more convenient access to its customers.

Senior Airman Tony Pettz, a communications computer systems operator in the 52nd Combat Communications Squadron who uses the dining facility every day, said not being able to get a take out order when he's out of uniform makes getting dinner at the dining facility inconvenient.

"Their dinner time opens right about the time we get off work, if not a little bit before," he said. "Usually, it's nice to go home after work, take off your uniform, and put on some comfortable clothes, go grab some food, watch TV, and hang out with some friends."

Airman Pettz said the new setup doesn't allow for that.

Airman 1st Class Ryan Byler, a computer systems analyst in the 52nd CBCS who uses the dining facility two to three times each day, said the elimination of the midnight meal has caused him and his friends who sometimes eat the meal to turn to cold meals at the flightline.

"I'm really disappointed," he said. "I realize the cause (is) that we're losing money, that Services doesn't have as big (of) a budget. But, the end result is that we lose quality, quality in life."

Despite the disappointments some Airmen have with the new restrictions, the changes will allow the Wynn Dining Facility to save money while continuing to serve quality meals, Mr. Sharples said.