The grapes are coming back, but it remains to be seen whether students will herald the return of the fruit with welcome or wrath.

Harvard Dining Services (HDS) has decided to overturn the 1992 student-prompted boycott on table grapes inspired by the national boycott started in 1984 by union leader Cesar Chavez, according to HDS executive chef Michael Miller.

Five years after the boycott, student opinion has changed.

"Each year we've been getting more and more requests for grapes, particularly in forums like our Manager's Roundtables," said Alexandra McNitt, a project manager with HDS.

"We've had a lot of students from the [Harvard University Dining Action Committee (HUDAC)] and a number of comment cards request that we put grapes back in the dining room," said Ted A. Mayer, director of HDS.

"If we continue to get requests for things, eventually it's going to happen," McNitt said.

The actual decision to reintroduce grapes was made last May, but due to seasonal availability, grapes will not return to dining halls until November 9 at brunch.

Much of the impetus for reintroducing grapes came from students Sam A. Yagan '99, Adam Vaina '98 and Marco B. Simons '97.

"Grapes happen to be a favorite fruit of mine," said Yagan, a regular member of HUDAC. "I didn't feel that one group of students should be able to dictate to everyone what was being served."

Yagan also pointed to the fact that the College was the only school served by HDS that did not serve grapes.

"All the grad schools do, and definitely Harvard Catering does," he said. "There were at least nine or 10 products on the menu that contained grapes, going anywhere from raisins to grape juice to grape jelly--things that are considered very staple items."

Mayer said that the demand for grapes was high enough to warrant reintroducing them to the dining halls.

"The sense was that there were enough students who wanted grapes that we would put the grapes out and leave it up to students to decide," Mayer said. "If they felt strongly about boycotting grapes they could do so. And if they wanted grapes, they would be there, and we would adjust our purchases accordingly."

Miller expressed the same sentiment.

"If students want to not eat grapes, I think they can make that statement by not choosing to eat them," he said.