Georgia’s new Bolton dining hall setting records

ATHENS, Ga. — The University of Georgia’s new Bolton Dining Commons has only been officially open a week, but it’s already setting records.

Way back in the day, before most of today’s Bolton customers were even born, students had a different name for the old Bolton Hall this one replaces — Revoltin’ Bolton, a cavernous, noisy building a block up the hill, now shuttered and awaiting an unscheduled demolition.

The food changed for the better long ago at Bolton and UGA. Under former food services director Mike Floyd, soon to retired from his current post as associate vice president for auxiliary services, UGA’s dining halls became one of the country’s top college food service operations, serving about 30,000 meals a day. Some colleges require students to participate in meal plans, but UGA doesn’t: All their customers are voluntary.

The new Bolton could take UGA’s campus food service to a whole new level, judging from the early numbers. Voting with their taste buds, students are showing their approval.

On Monday, the first day of UGA classes and the first day Bolton was open for business, some 2,200 students, workers and visitors had breakfast there, a new one-day breakfast record for a UGA dining hall.

Customers helped themselves to nearly 10,000 meals overall that day — another one-day record, said Jeanne Fry, executive director of UGA food services.