By Matthew Purucker · Editor-in-Chief
Parkhurst Dining has largely solved staffing problems and other concerns around Grove City College, but some issues linger.
Chick-fil-A has gone through several changes this year, including implementing new hours from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and reopening kiosks that had been closed for the first few weeks of the semester.
The schedule changed because Chick-fil-A does not have enough full-time or general employees, according to Chick-fil-A Front of House employee Daniel Griffith. This issue was why students could not use the Chick-fil-A kiosks this semester until recently.
“Early in this semester, we only had a few people in the kitchen, so if we have two people on register and then open two or three kiosks, the kitchen gets a large influx of orders that can’t be handled,” Griffith said.
Griffith has worked at the Grove City College Chick-fil-A since it opened in September 2023 and has been a Chick-fil-A employee for over five years. The senior mechanical engineering major said staffing was “a big problem” early in the semester.
“This, however, has been an issue since our location opened,” Griffith said. “We have been through a lot of shift leaders and managers that usually only stay between a few months to a year.
“Everyone has different reasons for leaving, but from what I’ve heard, it is usually due to either management, the high-stress environment mixed with a lot of responsibilities, lack of employees, which makes shifts more stressful, or any combination of those.”
Parkhurst Dining’s staffing has been “good,” per Parkhurst Dining Supervisor Jennifer Fisher.
Adequate staffing can depend on the student workers Parkhurst Dining has each year. Fisher said new students working for Parkhurst Dining this semester have helped.
“We get new students coming in and applying, and then once they graduate, then we need new ones coming in,” Fisher said. “Yeah, we love to have the students come in, so then they get to know what’s all involved. … It is enjoyable working here. It may not look like it, but we do; we have a great time here. We’re always hiring.”
Parkhurst Dining also replaced the ice cream freezer in Hicks Café last week after a Grove City College Dining Instagram post said the previous one was “damaged beyond repair.”
“If something breaks down, we get it fixed, or we replace it,” Fisher said. “Sometimes replacing it takes a little longer, just for the fact that trying to get it shipped and whatever from wherever it’s coming from.”
One remaining concern involved MAP Market’s new Pick 3 program, which debuted this year. Students currently cannot use a meal swipe there until Parkhurst Dining replaces the malfunctioning card reader on the checkout kiosk.
Fisher said a replacement is “coming in pretty soon.”
“It would be great to have more people on the team who can work consistent shifts, so if you are interested, please apply. It would really help us a lot,” Griffith said. “I appreciate the students’ patience even though there’s a lot going on right now.”
