Goodbye, fajita fries. Hello … Buddha bowls?

In an effort to cut down on prep-time, minimize waste and adapt to customer preferences, the directors of Jack Magee’s Pub and Grill have begun the process of changing the eatery’s menu.

The process of rolling out the adapted menu will take place over the course of the next few months, as the Grill staff tries out a variety of new dishes, and will culminate in the release of an updated menu next fall based primarily on student feedback and feasibility for the kitchen.

At the start of this semester, less popular items such as fajita fries, tuna and chicken salad and the portobello panini have been eliminated to increase overall efficiency.

“It’s kind of like we’re trying to be a full-size deli, full grill and a full pizza shop all in one location that doesn’t have the staff or the space to actually handle all of that,” Manager of Dining Retail Operations Matthew Sanderson said.

In addition to better balancing the needs of diverse customers, Sanderson said that the menu eliminations will allow the Grill to replace certain offerings with healthier alternatives and incorporate more vegetarian and vegan options, such as the famed Impossible Burger.

Sanderson added that while certain items no longer appear on the printed menu, many, such as the Deli sandwiches and the breadsticks, are still available for order because their ingredients are still stocked.

In the wake of these eliminations, the Grill has also begun experimenting with new items, many of which are being released as evening specials—a new night-time offering this semester.

“For the student body, what we’ve done is we’ve added the special at night. And this is a viable sandwich that we could put on the new menu, and we’re letting you guys tell us whether you love it or not,” said Sanderson. “This is our time to build a test to see how it works in the stations and how easily it is for us to execute it in a timely manner.”

After a new night-time special is released, students will be able to vote on whether they enjoyed it on Bowdoin Dining’s Instagram story.

“We are taking that evening special and using it to give you something new and let you … vote because we want to know what you guys want to eat,” said Sanderson. “I want to have the research and make sure we [serve] the items that people really want,” he added.

While Sanderson said that some students have expressed disappointment about the eliminations from the menu, others are excited about the change.

“I’m all for it because I don’t want them to waste any food that they don’t sell,” said Chris Vachow ’20, who works as a bartender at the Grill. “In terms of the additions I think that the nightly evening special is a good idea because I think people often get the same thing at the Pub every time they go, and I think it’ll give people a chance to switch things up,” he added.

As for other dishes to expect from the Pub this semester, Sanderson explained many trendy options were on their way. “You’re looking at like a whole [variety] of Pittsburgh style sandwiches … patty melts, a Thai peanut wrap, some Buddha bowls [and] an avocado, hummus, falafel and bean sandwich” said Sanderson.

“The goal is just to make it better for everybody,” said Sanderson. “We want to make sure that the student body and faculty and staff have a voice,” he added.