Arthur Akers has dined in the Tearoom at least once a week for the past 20 years. The server knows that Akers, professor of aerospace engineering and engineering mechanics, doesn’t like salad dressing, just lemon and pepper. Learning customer preferences is part of the experience for ISU students taking part in the learning laboratory. The Tearoom, a 105-seat lab in 23 MacKay Hall, is a hands-on experience for students enrolled in the Quantity Food Production and Service Management class. Students serve a main entree, vegetable or salad dish, bread product and dessert along with a beverage for $4.05. The not-for-profit lab is open Tuesdays through Fridays at noon to students, staff, faculty and members of the community. The same meal is never served twice throughout the semester. Most products are made from scratch and a variety of items such as traditional and nontraditional items along with vegetarian dishes, said Mary Gregoire, chair of hotel, restaurant and institution management, textiles and clothing, and family and consumer sciences education and studies. To keep up with the new trends in food preparation, last summer 60 new food items were added, she said. “It gives students the chance to work and get the management skills they need,” Gregoire said. “It’s not observing skills like some other programs have. We see it as a real benefit because you’re doing what it actually takes to run a business and applying correct principles.” Another option this semester is an express lunch on Monday from noon to 1 p.m., which includes a sandwich, salad, cookie and a beverage for $4.25. About 30 people eat the express lunch each week, Gregoire said. “Take-out has not had as much interest as we expected,” Gregoire said. “But we’re trying it this semester, and then we’re going to evaluate it.” The learning lab, which began in the early 1900s, gives students the opportunity to learn what it takes to manage a food-service operation and introduces them to a wide variety of foods. Students are stationed at 14 different positions to learn how to prepare food, manage an area, set tables, serve and interact with customers and run a cash register. Each day a specific person is assigned to be the manager who oversees the meal. Christina Gill, junior in hotel, restaurant and institution management, said the course gives a good introduction to the real world. “I don’t know how you’d make it more realistic,” Gill said. “We’re all trying to get everything done to serve at 12 [noon]. You learn teamwork, and everyone has to help out with everything to get it all done.” Because the restaurant is a class and foods are mass produced, mistakes happen. Nancy Rens, senior in hotel, restaurant and institution management, recalls a time when the class was making a gingerbread cake and two extra kilograms of molasses were added. Luckily, she said, the cake was still turned out OK. Both Gill and Rens said counting and portioning the ingredients are key components to avoid mistakes. The manager of the day also goes over the menu in many detailed steps with the instructor before it is enacted. Gill, who was a manager earlier in the semester, said she learned there were some things that were just out of her control, such as a student taking an hour to cut up carrots. Another thing that makes the experience positive for students is that the guests are really understanding if everything doesn’t go as planned, Rens said. “People know it’s a class and that we’re going to make mistakes,” she said. “With different people cooking everyday, it’s surprising that the food is good, but there are standardized recipes.” As a customer, Akers agreed the food tastes good. “I like the people I eat with. . There is always someone interesting here,” Akers said. “The second reason is the food is always good. It’s a nice social thing, eating is.” To eat at the Tearoom or Tearoom Express, reservations must be made. To reserve a spot in the Tearoom, visit the Web site or call 294-3330. The menu also can be found on the Web site.