In the November 21 issue of the Orient, the Bowdoin community was asked to respond to the question, "Moulton or Thorne?" The following replies were submitted.
Casey Freedman '09
I have always been and will always be a die-hard Thorne fan, no matter what they serve, no matter what Moulton is serving, no matter that Moulton serves Lucky Charms and has allegedly more variety in their salad bar.
I don't know if it's due to the fact that I lived in East (Osher) Hall as a first year, or that I worked at Thorne's bake shop for a year and am thus more familiar with the Thorne staff, but I love eating any meal at Thorne. I have been known to eat meals alone there if my friends cannot be convinced to join me, due to the apparently superior Moulton menu. Thorne is airy and spacious in every aspect while Moulton is dark, claustrophobia-inducing and reminiscent of a dungeon.
It is much easier to find space to eat at Thorne than at Moulton, whether you are dining alone or with a group of 15. At Thorne it is also easier to run into friends at meals, or perhaps it is just easier for me to run into my friends. I personally love the peaceful emptiness of Thorne breakfasts and have been known to wake up early to make it to breakfast at Thorne, go back to sleep and wake up an hour later for class, even though I could have slept later and gone to Moulton.
While I occasionally do appreciate that Moulton has longer breakfast hours on weekdays, I have never met a Bowdoin student who prefers brunch at Moulton over brunch at Thorne. Without Thorne, I don't know if Bowdoin's legendary culinary prowess would have felt like such an integral part of my Bowdoin experience.
Chase Taylor '12 and Martin Wikoff '12
Though Thorne may satisfy our stomachs with fine food, Moulton satiates our souls. Right from the card-swipe, the Moulton experience is joyous.
There is no greater start to a meal than a nice warm greeting (and if you are lucky...a hug) from the sweetest woman on Bowdoin campus, Patty. If your day has at all been a downer, Patty is sure to brighten your mood and then swipe your card.
The dining hall itself is the ideal place for a meal. If want to enjoy a naturally lit, open meal, then the Light Room is the way to go. But if you want nice ambience and a more intimate dining experience, then the Dark Room is the place to be.
And, if you have a whole group of people, or a team for that matter, then Moulton provides two rooms just for you! The food ain't half bad either.