Harvard Food Services has changed its name to Harvard Dining Services to give the department a more distinguished appearance, officials said this week.

The move to replace "Food" with "Dining" was apparently designed to reflect the broader functions of department, including its catering service and several cash operations. Dining Services has a $15 million annual budget and 350 employees, said Assistant Director Benjamin H. Wolcott.

"We do more than supply meals for contracted students," Wolcott said.

This latest is the third moniker the campus provisioner has sported within the last 15 years. The first name, "Harvard Dining Halls Department," was "too institutional," Wolcott said.

Officials hope the subtle change from "Food" to "Dining" Services will give a "better connotation to the department," he added.

Dining Services Director Frank J. Weissbecker, who could not be reached for comment, apparently sent a brief memorandum to key people and directories of the universities about the name change. However, many dining hall employees contacted this week said they were not aware of the change.

Tammy M. Brown, who works at Adams House Dining Hall and did not know of the name switch, said, "It doesn't make a difference to me. On second thought, though, they're probably trying to make it sound better, more elegant."