More essential than a set of knives. More unattractive than an avocado. The plastic orange cafeteria tray has been in my life longer than my husband or my daughter. It has been on permanent loan ...

At Hiram, which uses AVI Foodsystems, the main cafeteria won't have trays this fall. Oberlin's biggest dining facility will forgo trays this coming semester, after a trial run last semester.