By day, they lie dark and dormant in the basement labyrinths of nine houses. But come nightfall, their stoves heat up and so does the atmosphere.

From "Hell's Kitchen" in Currier House to "The Grille Scouts" in Eliot, the House grills are a nocturnal haven for connoisseurs of food ranging from hamburgers to omelettes. Their menus, accessability, and commercial facets like delivery, credit, and even shares of stock assure the grills of a steady late-night clientele.

But these institution of the Houses (Eliot's grill was constructed with the rest of the dorm in the 1930s) have recently become a sticking point for administrators who fear student operators do not follow proper hygiene standards. Coupled with a fear that the grills should be licensed by the city, the concern has prompted University Health Services to design a hygiene course for managers.

This did not keep grills from opening this fall, however. All nine except Winthrop House's are doing a brisk business, dishing out such House Specialties as the "Bott Dog" in Dunster, in honour of Master Raoul Bott, and the "Wacker Burger," named after South House Master Warren E. Wacker, Winthrop's grill will open November 3.

Currier House: Included in the original blueprints for the Houses. "Hell's Kitchen" is attached to the dining hall and equipped for facilities for deep frying potatoes and making frappes. It is the only House to boast an over for baking pizza, which goes for 75 cents a slice, 85 cents with pepperoni, and $4.75 or $5.50 for a whole pie.

Located in the middle of a ground level hallway/lounge, Currier's grill is the center of action on a typical weeknight. Students gather to watch TV. Pay video games, pinball, or foosball, or congregate on several couches while enjoying their snacks. On weekends, the grill-one of the few open those evenings-attracts students attending movies or dances at the Quad.

The grill serves as many as 150 people on a typical night, according to Kurt C. Schluntz '84, one of the three managers selected by the house committee to run it on a non-profit basis. The threesome hires about 20 additional workers.

"It defines the social center of Currier House," Schluntz says.

Dunster House: Located in the basement of E. entry, the Dunster grill is thriving under a new ownership system, according to manager Elizabeth Lorde-Rollins '85. At the beginning of the year, the House Committee sold 100 shares in the grill for $10 apiece. In May, investors will receive their money back, plus whatever profits the grill earns.

With the capital created by the sale of shares, the Dunster grill expanded its line, venturing into baked goods in addition to hamburger and bagel fare. Brownies go for 75 cents and are described by one enthusiastic patron as "incredibly rich."

In deference to those who don't make breakfast, Dunster is the only House to offer omelettes as a late night snack. These sell from $1 to 1.50, depending on contents ranging from plain cheese to "western"-bacon, cheese and tomato.

Dunster offers in-house delivery as well as efficient service: customers use an order form available on the counter and go off and watch TV or play pinball in the adjacent room while their order is filled.

Dunster also sells a wide selection of ice cream-six flavors including oreo and heavenly hash-for as little as 50 cents a cup, prices which make the walk to Cahaly's seem less than appealing, say some patrons.

Eliot House: A typical night in Eliot sees two "Grille Scouts" working behind the counter and a third delivering orders in the Eliot-Kirkland-Winthrop vicinity.

The specialty of the grill is nachos-packaged chips served with your choice of American or Cheddar cheese, melted over the chips in a toaster.