Take inspiration from retail
When overhauling the dining operations at its three schools with the lowest average daily participation, Richmond County Schools in Augusta, Ga., began implementing formats that students are used to seeing in commercial operations, such as food carts, sleeker meal trays (switching to black trays from more institutional-looking white ones) and portable boxes for items like chicken tenders.
In addition, the district encourages foodservice managers to engage in “table talk,” checking in with tables much like servers do at a restaurant, says Kelly Schlein, nutrition services director for the district. It’s a good avenue to solicit student feedback as well as foster connection, she notes.