Eerie music, dim lighting, fog and cob webs. This isn't the set of a scary movie, it's just some of the decorations that will make up the haunted house dinner in the various dining commons across campus on Halloween evening.

Penn State Food Services hosts special themed dinners throughout the year, but when it comes to Halloween, the sky's the limit, said John Antonik, senior assistant manager of Waring Commons.

"Halloween is something you kind of go all out for and really make it special," Antonik said. "Whether you use black lights, strobe lights or fog machines, we get decorations and play music that will scare people during their dining experience."

Lisa Wandel, director of residential dining, said the theme is a must for fall dinners. "Students love Halloween, and our staff loves dressing up," she said. "I think it kind of gets them started for the holiday, and students go just because it's different and popular."

Wandel said Food Services puts a great deal of time and consideration into themed dinners throughout the year.

"We have a committee group that met in February to develop the themes for the fall semester," she said.

When it comes to choosing and planning themed dinners, Wandel said food ordinarily comes first, but for Halloween it's more about the ambience.

"We'll have dirt and worm parfait, which is chocolate pudding with Oreo cooking crumbs and gummy worms, and we'll have make-your-own Halloween cookies in the shapes of pumpkins and witches, and you can ice them yourself," she said. "But most of the menu items for the actual dinner will be standard meal choices with spooky names thrown onto them like the cheese and veggie groaning board or the grave digger's grilled chicken breast."

Other "spooky"-named food items on the menu include Texas chainsaw chili, scary steamed veggies and death by chocolate ice cream.

Antonik said preparing and decorating for the dinner is difficult and each year more is added.
"We probably start planning a month and a half ahead with ideas; we need the time if there's anything we need to build," Antonki said.

"Last year, we brought in wood and built a graveyard display with a coffin in the carving station," he added.

Antonik said depending on how each station is set up and what costumes staff members need to put in, Halloween is one of the more time-pressing themed dinners to prepare for.

"Before we actually set up for the day, there are probably a good 30 to 40 hours that go into it," he said. "It's something that we enjoy doing, though. It's rare that you can go out and try to scare customers."

Although a lot of time goes into setting up for the Halloween dinner, Antonik said because of other events happening before and after Oct. 31, Waring Commons won't be able to do everything they hoped they could accomplish for the theme.

"We're doing the haunted house theme and wanted to kick it up a little more this year and actually make a haunted house to have people go through, but we don't have the time or the manpower to build it," he said. "I wanted to take people into the basement and actually have them walk through a haunted house, but I guess we're going to have to hold off on that until next year."

As for each station, Antonik said there would be some traditional commons themes and some new surprises.

"We're probably going to have fake body parts at the carving station or make it into a graveyard," he said. "We have some ideas we are playing with right now; we're talking about an idea about a mad scientist with bubbling flasks."

Antonik said the theme dinners are fun to have because it gets the students more involved in events that take place on-campus.

"This year we're trying to get kids coming in with Halloween costumes on, and we'll have a contest with prizes," he said. "A lot of it is to get the kids interacted."

Katherine Baker (sophomore-education), a West Halls resident, said that as long as her roommates went with her, she would definitely check out the themed dinner.

"I would go; I love Halloween," she said, "but I'd expect candy."

Wandel said the Halloween dinner wouldn't be complete without candy.

"We give out traditional treat bags with the dinner," she said.

Baker said she regrets not going to the dining commons last year on Halloween and will make sure not to miss the event this year.

"Halloween is awesome here," she said. "Even on campus, with the themed dinners, I heard that the dining commons go all out, and you don't expect the dinner to be so spooky or creative."

Antonik said off-campus students shouldn't shy away from the dinner, and that attendees will get their money's worth.

"I think its one of the nights that we really put on a show," he said. "Not only do you get good food, but it's usually entertaining and people are usually wowed by a lot of the stuff."