Dominique Q&A

If you are a regular at Haven dining hall you would know Dominique – card swiper extraordinaire and of S.U.'s stand-out personalities in the dining hall scene. Although Dominique works everyday of his life with a mental handicap, he always makes sure to ask you how your day is, and he always remembers if you get take-out boxes and who you are. There have been many times when I have not been to the dining hall in a few days that he has asked where I have been and told me I was missed.


Here are a few things you might not know about this diligent card-swiper.

Q: What is your least favorite part of the job?

A: If the machine breaks down. I have to write everything down, and it slows the line down, and people start to get upset. I also hate having to clean upstairs, I like it a lot better down here (down here being where the card swiper is)

Q:Have you lived in Syracuse your whole life?

A: Yes, and I have worked at the dining halls for 5 years.

Q: What is your favorite dining hall food?

A: I am full-blooded Italian, so I like the spaghetti and meatballs, and the Pizza. If I saw Mexican food though I wont touch it. I don’t like it. I also don't like the vegan section. When kids were younger they ate meat and now they don't. I don't get it.


At one point during the interview, after we were in deep discussion over the vegans at S.U. Dominique asks three girls if they are vegan. One of them admits to being one in the past, but she missed cheese burgers and decided to quit. Dominique looks at her with an exasperated expression and then looks back at me as if to say, "see, I don't get why they go vegan."


Q: Why do you hate working upstairs?

A: Because I hate whenever kids leave their newspapers on the tables, and I have to pick them up. That makes me pissed off.

Q: Have you worked at any other dining halls?

A: No, I only like this one because everyone knows me here. In 2009 we are all moving to the new dining hall and they are turning haven into a student lounge, or something. I am not sure of that.

Q: What do you like to do after work?

A: I like going to Carousel mall. I don't spend my money though and less I see something I really want. Sometimes I see students there and I hang out with them for a little bit, but we are not supposed to do this, so usually I obey those ruled. But if I see them in the mall I am not going to go one way and they the other. I don't know why they wont less us hang out with the students because they are so much fun.

At another point during the interview he reprimands a guy for not letting his female friend get her card swiped first.