About six months or so ago, Stanford and LPCH announced they were revamping their food service system. A couple months ago, that system went into effect, and last week when I was admitted for a skin infection, I had the opportunity to experience the new food service for the first time. I’m pleased to inform you that the quality and variety of the food has improved, though the system has some definite flaws.
The new dining service is called “At Your Request” and is being advertised as “room service” for patients. Next thing you know, they’ll be selling empty beds on Priceline and expecting us to tip the nurses. But on a serious note, the new system is (in theory) pretty cool. You can order meals by calling the food service number anytime between the hours of 7 am and 8 pm, and the food selection is significantly expanded. Some new and improved menu choices? The Asian stir fry, deli sandwiches (with avocado!), chicken enchiladas, whole wheat penne with pesto, and flat iron steak, to name a few.
Sounds like a dream, right? Well, there are more than a few downsides. First and most importantly, the ordering process is extremely vague, and the rules and limitations of the system seem to vary depending on who you talk to. Another downside is that it takes approximately an hour to receive your food, and a couple times it took about an hour and a half. So basically, if the thought even crosses your mind that you might possibly be the slightest bit hungry within the next two hours, order immediately. Kinda like those girls who plan their wedding before they have a boyfriend (if you don’t know what I’m talking about, watch an episode of “Say Yes to the Dress” on TLC).
Being the frugal, crafty person that I am, I decided that if they were going to design and implement a vague system, I was going to test the boundaries of that system. In other words, order vast quantities of food. Hey, it’s not my fault the menu fails to list the maximum number of items a patient can order. The first night of my hospital stay, Zack was with me as usual and my dad was coming to visit, so I ordered the following: green salad, flat iron steak, shrimp stir fry, brown rice, whole wheat penne with pesto and grilled chicken, green beans, a baked potato with sour cream and butter, angel food cake, custard, Sun Chips, gummy bears, two cranberry juices, and a grape juice. We thoroughly enjoyed (and, might I add, finished) our feast and prepared to do the same the next night.
But before any of you start scheduling surgeries and faking illnesses in order to save a few bucks on groceries (in this economy, who could blame you?), I’m sad to report that Stanford quickly wised up to those of us manipulating the system. On the third day of my stay, the woman who took my order wouldn’t even let me order a baked potato with my hot dog and steak, citing the lame excuse of there not being “enough room on the tray.” Most people would give up at this point, but not me. I literally negotiated with the woman for 10 minutes before she finally agreed to send me a half-order of the rosemary roasted potatoes instead. They were delicious :).
The new dining service is called “At Your Request” and is being advertised as “room service” for patients. Next thing you know, they’ll be selling empty beds on Priceline and expecting us to tip the nurses. But on a serious note, the new system is (in theory) pretty cool. You can order meals by calling the food service number anytime between the hours of 7 am and 8 pm, and the food selection is significantly expanded. Some new and improved menu choices? The Asian stir fry, deli sandwiches (with avocado!), chicken enchiladas, whole wheat penne with pesto, and flat iron steak, to name a few.
Sounds like a dream, right? Well, there are more than a few downsides. First and most importantly, the ordering process is extremely vague, and the rules and limitations of the system seem to vary depending on who you talk to. Another downside is that it takes approximately an hour to receive your food, and a couple times it took about an hour and a half. So basically, if the thought even crosses your mind that you might possibly be the slightest bit hungry within the next two hours, order immediately. Kinda like those girls who plan their wedding before they have a boyfriend (if you don’t know what I’m talking about, watch an episode of “Say Yes to the Dress” on TLC).
Being the frugal, crafty person that I am, I decided that if they were going to design and implement a vague system, I was going to test the boundaries of that system. In other words, order vast quantities of food. Hey, it’s not my fault the menu fails to list the maximum number of items a patient can order. The first night of my hospital stay, Zack was with me as usual and my dad was coming to visit, so I ordered the following: green salad, flat iron steak, shrimp stir fry, brown rice, whole wheat penne with pesto and grilled chicken, green beans, a baked potato with sour cream and butter, angel food cake, custard, Sun Chips, gummy bears, two cranberry juices, and a grape juice. We thoroughly enjoyed (and, might I add, finished) our feast and prepared to do the same the next night.
But before any of you start scheduling surgeries and faking illnesses in order to save a few bucks on groceries (in this economy, who could blame you?), I’m sad to report that Stanford quickly wised up to those of us manipulating the system. On the third day of my stay, the woman who took my order wouldn’t even let me order a baked potato with my hot dog and steak, citing the lame excuse of there not being “enough room on the tray.” Most people would give up at this point, but not me. I literally negotiated with the woman for 10 minutes before she finally agreed to send me a half-order of the rosemary roasted potatoes instead. They were delicious :).
No comments:
Post a Comment