Lt. Gen. Thomas A. Schwartz, Commander, III Corps and Fort Hood, officially opened the Army’s very first "branded concept" dining facility on 27 May 97. This a la carte dining facility has been a roaring success. Soldiers have responded very positively to both the extended operating hours and to the availability of brand name items. Little Charlie’s Pizza, Sara Lee Deli Sandwiches, Jimmy Dean Breakfast Sandwiches, Minh Chinese foods, Sara Lee Pastries, and Dannon Frozen Yogurt attract those who want to " grab and go", and use of nationally known brand names on the standard and short order serving lines support those who want to eat in the facility.
Building 87107 is the Division Artillery, 4th Infantry Division Dining Facility. This facility uses standard and short order serving lines as well as using food court type kiosks. You don’t need space enough for a full food court to implement a branded concept dining facility however.
Fort Drum, NY celebrated the opening of 548th Corps Support Battalion’s a la carte dining facility on 26 June. The facility is the first of its kind in XVIII Airborne Corps and is a different version of the branded concept. This facility implements branded food items on its standard and short order serving lines, and adds an Old El Paso cart to serve Mexican foods. Among the branded concepts selected by Fort Drum are Ball Park Franks, Minh Chinese, and Healthy Choice, in addition to the Old El Paso.
You too can have a branded concept dining facility. Contact ACES (more specifically, Capt. Karl Bopp, the new "daddy" of the branded concept) for assistance. The branded concept policy and sample book has been developed, and once we figure out just how to reproduce it and get it to you, you’ll be able to find a copy at your installation. In the meantime, please feel free to call us for information.
Army Subsistence and Food Service Bulletin, August 1997
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