Dining Facility is under construction

U.S. Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Emmette Bush (left), 3rd Air Force First Sergeant, and Master Sgt. Johnny Rapier, 86th Construction and Training first sergeant, enjoy their lunch in the recently renovated lobby located in the Rheinland Inn Dining Facility, Mar. 16, 2009, Ramstein Air Base, Germany. The lobby now has the appeal of an authentic German restaurant and also seats more Airmen. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Amber Bressler)

Dining Facility is under construction

The Rheinland Inn Dining Facility is under construction to upgrade the lobbies to better serve Airmen, Mar. 16, 2009, Ramstein Air Base, Germany. One half of the dining facility is already finished. The second half shown in the photo is scheduled to be completed Mar.31, 2009. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Amber Bressler)

Dining Facility is under construction

The Rheinland Inn Dining Facility is under construction to upgrade the lobbies to better serve Airmen, Mar. 16, 2009, Ramstein Air Base, Germany. One half of the dining facility is already finished. The second half shown in the photo is scheduled to be completed Mar. 31, 2009. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Amber Bressler)

Ramstein dining facility renovates to better serve Airmen

Published April 9, 2009
By Staff Sgt. T. Leigh Terry
Ramstein Public Affairs

RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany -- The Rheinland Inn Dining Facility is currently undergoing construction to their dining rooms to better serve servicemembers in the Kaiserslautern Military Community.
The renovations are an attempt to turn the cafeteria style setting into more of an authentic German style restaurant.
The renovations to the overall atmosphere, giving a more intimate setting versus an industrial cafeteria feel to the facility, began on Jan. 5and and were completed late March.
The upgrades, which are expected to cost nearly $460,000 include new flooring, dining furniture, wall treatments and lighting.
"The old dining rooms were dark, cramped and dated," said Master Sgt. Brian Perkins, 435th Services Squadron Rhineland Inn Dining Facility manager. "The new renovations brighten the rooms and give them a warmer feel."

The Rhineland Inn Dining Facility serves more than 260,000 meals annually and the last major renovations to the facility happened back in 1999.
"The upgrades were needed to keep up with the normal wear and tear of the facility," said Tech. Sgt. James Martinez, 435th SVS Rhineland Inn Dining Facility assistant manager. "It was definitely time for an upgrade."

So far, the DFAC has one of the two newly renovated dining rooms up and running and receiving a good response from Airmen.

"The feedback that we have received has been overwhelmingly positive," Sergeant Perkins said. "The improvements are also reminding patrons of their past visits to family restaurants stateside and giving the facility that 'touch of home' that they miss."
"I like it much better. It's more of a dining experience unlike the old dining rooms," said Airman 1st Class Caleb Pierce, a dining facility patron. "It is a place where I can enjoy my meals and relax with friends in a restaurant setting."