In a matter of months, House staffers will find something new on the menu after fan-favorite chains and a handful of local businesses were chosen to liven up the food scene on Capitol Hill.
Construction begins in August to accommodate a wave of new vendors promising variety and options for all diets and allergies. After nearly a decade of complaints, the overhaul is a welcome development to lawmakers and aides alike who believe the previous offerings were subpar.
“The food service is terrible, and it’s one of the universal complaints throughout this building,” Rep. Julie Johnson (D-TX), one of the most vocal members calling for a change, said in an interview. “And so, I am excited to see some new and varied options.”
“We’ll see, hopefully, they’ll be better. And if not, we’ll complain about them, too,” Johnson added with a laugh.
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Eight new vendors are coming to the House side of the U.S. Capitol, with four already known to visitors who travel to Washington: Starbucks, Jimmy John’s, Panera Bread, and Qdoba.
The other four are family-owned establishments that are getting a chance to grow their brand: CHA Street Food, PX Tacos/Java House, Common Grounds, and Freshens.
House menu exhaustion
Staffers often leave campus for lunch and dinner due to fatigue from the same run-of-the-mill options. In February, the Office of the Chief Administrative Officer sent a survey asking for feedback.
The survey, obtained by the Washington Examiner, asked for thoughts on everything from specific menu items to whether staffers wanted to see certain chains phased out.
Some staffers, such as Ariana Orne, said she initially didn’t have a strong preference but soon realized what the new offerings would mean for her food allergy.
Orne told the Washington Examiner in an interview that she is most looking forward to CHA Street Food and PX Tacos and is disappointed with the selection of Jimmy John’s, as it is one of the few sandwich chains she said does not offer gluten-free bread.
Typically, Orne eats in the cafeteria every two weeks due to the lack of variety and said she would have to “suck it up” if she forgot to bring lunch. But now, she won’t be “always eating the same couple of things, which I think would be really nice for me,” she said.
Johnson thinks the new food options are well overdue and that registering her dissatisfaction was one of her first actions when she got to Capitol Hill.
“We’re in our nation’s capital, the headquarters of the most powerful country in the world, and we can’t have decent food service for all the people, the visitors that come here, and for the staff that work here? It’s ridiculous. And so surely, we can dial it up a notch,” she said.
Johnson leveled complaints with House Administration Committee chairman Bryan Steil (R-WI) and ranking member Joe Morelle (D-NY). Prior to the changes, Johnson said she, like staffers, would often leave campus to seek a better meal than what was provided. Conversations with her staffers also pushed her to complain to House leadership.
“I just think that some of the freshmen, as we came in, were used to different options from our state legislative experiences or whatever, started complaining, and — but it was in the process. And so the answer I got frequently is, ‘I know, we are working on it,’” the Texas Democrat said.
“I’m like, ‘Well, good, because it needs to be worked on’ … People work really hard here. We have so many talented employees of the federal government in our offices. They deserve to go get a decent lunch,” Johnson added.
Metz Culinary Management will replace Sodexo in running cafeterias in the Longworth, Rayburn, and Ford office buildings. The company told the Washington Examiner that it prides itself on offering meals with locally sourced ingredients and global cuisine stations. The organization said it would offer dishes “completely free from the top nine food allergens.”
“Each meal is prepared in a dedicated area with utmost care to ensure a safe and inclusive dining experience for all,” the company said.
“It’s a proud moment for the Metz team to be chosen as a partner with The House of Representatives, as it presents a prestigious and historic opportunity, as well as a chance to elevate the dining experiences at Capitol Hill,” the company added, noting its founding 30 years ago. “It is also a fantastic recognition of excellence and a strategic growth opportunity.”
The Chief Administrative Officer declined to provide details on the costs of retaining new vendors and management, as it is policy not to discuss specific House contracts. However, a spokesperson said once the new restaurants are fully operational this fall, the House “projects a revenue stream that can be used to reinvest into campus eateries or other services.”
Overhaul ignites Dunkin’ vs Starbucks feud
One of the bigger changes is the replacement of Dunkin’ with Starbucks. The swap is driving a wedge between the loyal followings of each coffee establishment, particularly the Washington and Massachusetts delegations.
Starbucks is headquartered in Washington state, and Dunkin’ is in Massachusetts.
A Senate Democratic staffer said Starbucks “definitely outperforms” Dunkin’ on taste and quality, but understands that people will be sad to see Dunkin’s prices go. A coffee from Dunkin’, according to the app, can cost anywhere from $2 to nearly $5, and its inexpensive bagel, donut, and hot food menu provides aides with cheap and fast snacks throughout the day.
Starbucks is known for being more pricey, with coffees costing anywhere from roughly $3.75 to nearly $8. Orders at the storied green and white establishment can cost roughly $10 to $12 if food is included. However, many interviewed by the Washington Examiner agreed that Starbucks takes first place for its menu and coffee grounds.
Eli Harberts, a Republican staffer, told the Washington Examiner he prefers smaller vendors such as the Senate’s beloved Cups, but if forced to choose between chains, he’d choose Dunkin’.
“Because America runs on Dunkin’ and the House is, you know, for the people,” Harberts said.
Those from Massachusetts are taking the change mostly well. Rep. Lori Trahan (D-MA), a fellow Bay Stater, posted a tongue-in-cheek post after the change was announced, playing on the “Come and Take It” slogan often used by gun rights advocates.
Trahan told the Washington Examiner she would miss the easily accessible Dunkin’, but admitted that “change was good.” Though a supporter of the famous pink and orange coffee shop, she said people would still see her walking through the House with a Starbucks because “convenience wins, right?”
“We sort of had fun with our allegiance to Dunkin’, so it’s sad to see it go,” Trahan said.
Representatives from Washington state, however, are excited to see a hometown brand hitting the halls of Congress. Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), a liberal member, said she loves seeing Washington-born businesses at the Capitol, adding that it could light another fire under the company to allow workers to unionize.
“So, I hope that any store that’s here is unionized, and that the workers actually get fair wages,” Jayapal said. “But I think that it’s always a good thing when our state’s corporations are represented.”
Both Jayapal and Trahan have a stake in the new food options coming to the Hill. Trahan eats gluten-free, and Jayapal is pescatarian. Both said they are excited to see new, healthier options under Metz Culinary Management.
“I’m hoping that we have more salads, more fresh options, and that we promote a kind of healthy living that is very difficult to manage in this job,” Jayapal said.
Trahan had frank words for a longtime staple, Au Bon Pain, leaving Cannon House Building after Panera Bread was chosen to replace it.
“It was time for Au Bon Pain to go,” Trahan laughed. “It was a relic from the ‘90s, so Panera will be good.”
Local businesses get a chance to flourish
Despite the fervor surrounding the arrival of favorites such as Panera Bread and Starbucks, the change also presents several local establishments in Virginia and Washington, D.C., with the chance to grow their business and share their food with people from all over the country and the world.
“I think we represent entrepreneurship and the American dream,” said Sofhia Qamar, one of the three founders and operators of CHA Street Food.
CHA Street Food will replace Steak ‘n Shake, which is located in the Rayburn cafeteria. Based in Northern Virginia and founded in Springfield, the local restaurant is bringing Pakistani American cuisine to the halls of Congress.
Qamar and her fellow owners, Suhail and Saba Karman, are relatively new to running a business. They began their work five years ago at the height of the pandemic, inspired by communities supporting one another during periods of social distancing.
None of them had culinary experience. Qamar was a teacher for almost 12 years in Fairfax County, Suhail Karman was an engineer, and Saba Karman worked in the wedding design business for over 10 years. But they said they saw an opportunity to share cuisine from their Pakistani roots.
“We saw a gap that we wanted to fill, and we started with a tiny food truck, because no one would give us a chance at a restaurant,” Qamar said. “We just didn’t have the history, the credit, you know, and we’re like, ‘Let’s just go with what we have.’”
Now, CHA Street Food is “off to the races,” Suhail Karman said, boasting two locations. They are excited for people to try their chicken tikka burgers and paneer burgers, as well as the salad bowls for which they are well-known. However, the true spirit of the restaurant and what they hope to accomplish in the Capitol is embedded in its name.
“Cha means tea, and that’s kind of where the whole concept started,” Saba Karman said. “And we wanted people to come together with a cup of tea.”
“We hope people come not just to have food, but to sit down, work, to socialize, and just have a good time at our new spot,” Qamar added.
Payam Yazdani, owner of PX Tacos/Java House of Washington, D.C., said coming to the Capitol will give him a chance to test out the “marrying” of two concepts: Java House, a deli-type establishment known for roasting its own coffee, and PX Tacos, a new business model already well-known for its breakfast items.
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Yazdani boasts 20 years of experience running Java House, a company his father and family founded over 40 years ago. He’s excited for international customers who recognize the brand to come and see a familiar face on Capitol Hill.
“One of the things that my customers do all the time is bringing Java House shirts from other parts of the world. They brought them from Kenya, they brought them from Thailand, everywhere,” Yazdani told the Washington Examiner. “So I think it’s just going to be cool to see that within the U.S. environment, seeing, you know, if it takes off, and being able to see our brand.”