Breakers cuts midnight meal

Midnight meal closure

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – The Breaker’s Dining Facility here is discontinuing the service of its midnight meals due to a lack of usage. Airmen will still be able to utilize the dining facility for breakfast, lunch and dinner Monday through Friday and the two dinning times on Saturdays and Sundays. (US Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Andrew Lee)

Published Sept. 18, 2009
By Airman 1st Class Steve Bauer
30th Space Wing Public Affairs

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Breakers Dining Facility here is scheduled to change the hours of operation by ceasing its midnight meals Oct. 1.

A mix of elements is responsible for reducing the hours at the dining facility; management weighed the costs of having a fourth meal and the lack of customer usage during the midnight hours.

"On average, we were only receiving seven or eight customers at each midnight meal," said Willie Belton, the 30th Force Support Squadron food service officer. "Because of these small numbers, eliminating the midnight meal causes very little change."

Efficiency was a deciding factor for the Breakers' management.

"I think the change will be a good thing," Mr. Belton said. "Due to the lack of customers, we were just throwing money away with the midnight meals. Money saved by eliminating the meal will go right back to the base."

Originally, Vandenberg leaders pushed to have a midnight meal available for their Airmen. The thought was to have a place Airmen could go during the midnight hours and not have to leave the base. Even with Breakers removing the midnight meal, customers can still purchase boxed meals, which must be ordered two hours in advance and picked up by 7:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and 6 p.m. on weekends and holidays.

Breakers' management encourages customers to continue to take advantage of the dining facility's services, especially Airmen living in the dorms.

"Most of our meal card holders are living in the dorms, which are in walking distance to the dining facility," Mr. Belton said. "Airmen have an opportunity to get a nutritious meal three times a day, and it's right at their finger tips. If you don't use it, you may lose it."

For more information on Breakers' Dining Facility, visit www.30svs.com/fsvf.html.