Three days a week at Ellington’s, the student-run restaurant in the Holmes Student Center, students assemble a menu, collect nutritional data and open a fully operational restaurant.

Through Ellington’s, FCNS 320 teaches junior and senior nutrition and hospitality administration majors the ins and outs of running a real restaurant.

Throughout the semester, FCNS 320 students provide faculty, students and the general public with a different themed meal every week. Themed meals have included Mardi Gras, Arabian Nights, Asian Flair, Garden of Eden and many others.

Joan Quinn, coordinator of Food Systems labs, and class instructor, said students can learn many valuable skills from the class. These skills include scaling recipes, scheduling staff workers, assisting in service, cooking, dealing with customers, busing tables and managing of the restaurant.

All students rotate positions to learn a variety of skills. Quinn believes students gain real-life experience working in Ellington’s, and said the restaurant’s service is rated well by many on campus.

“This is about as real as it gets, and our students do an exceptional job,” Quinn said.

Quinn said she has heard from many alumni who found FCNS 320 beneficial in their everyday lives.

Eric Davis, a junior nutrition and dietetics major, feels Ellington’s caters to students’ needs very well. The price of a three-part meal is only $8 including beverages and tip.

Davis also thinks the students offer great service.

“The service is very prompt and friendly,” Davis said. “We know that many people have to be out within an hour.”

Davis said that teamwork and management play a major role in making Ellington’s successful.

“We all come together to put this restaurant together,” Davis said.

Amy Lynn Olesen, a senior nutrition and dietetics major, enjoys working with her classmates and also finds working at Ellington’s to be a valuable experience.

“All of us work together great and we are all really helpful and friendly,” Olesen said.

Olesen enjoys serving customers and finds experiencing the different aspects of restaurant management beneficial to her education.

Menus, reservations, pictures, class information, recipes and nutritional information and a schedule of meals are available online at www.ellingtons.niu.edu