University Regrets Buying A $17,000 Dining Table

The University of New Hampshire appears to be having a bit of buyer's remorse over its new dining table, because as cool as it is to have a custom-made, light-up table that seats 16, a university representative said this week that in retrospect, maybe it was not a good idea to spend more than $17,000 on a table.

According to the Associated Press, the University of New Hampshire decided recently to install a "chef's table" in the dining hall, and then spent $17,570 on a custom-made, 16-seat table that is outfitted with LEDs that let the table light up for cooking demonstrations. It is pretty cool, but at that price it would have to be. It costs nearly as much as a year of in-state tuition at the university.

The idea behind the chef's table was that dining staff could demonstrate cooking techniques, talk about nutrition, and interact with the students, but other things that can accomplish that include virtually any normal table. A university spokesperson told the Associated Press that the "chef's table" idea was a good one, but the university admits it probably shouldn't have spent so much money on the table itself.

The fancy table was installed a few weeks ago, and the school plans on keeping it.