Editor’s note: This article is part of a series that will focus on campuswide problems.
With the closure of the cafeteria, students have access to only three options and not much variety of food on campus.
The cafeteria was shut down a year and a half ago because of a poor location and lack of business.
“We just didn’t get any business up there,” Karen Staniskis, food service director, said. “No one wanted to walk up the stairs.”
However, EC will provide students with another option in about two weeks when the coffee carts arrive.
Until then students have access to the Manhattan, which is more of a snack bar, and is located next to the Bookstore. The remaining two places to eat are delis, which can be found near the Fine Arts Building and Math and Computer Science buildings.
“We are more of a grab-and-go,” Staniskis said. “Our food is good and we’ve maintained our A ratings at all three locations.”
Staniskis, who also manages the deli in the Fine Arts Building, said that they are open to any suggestions that students may have.
“Obviously we want the business,” Staniskis said. “We are open to suggestions.”
Both delis are open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. and offer breakfast, lunch and dinner.
“Burritos and pizza are our biggest sellers,” Staniskis said. “Most of the time, students come in and tailor-make their burritos.”
However, the food is limited for students who are vegetarian and vegan.
“They need to get more choices,” sophomore Wendy Alvarez said. “They have cheese pizza and that’s about it.”
Alvarez said she has had bad experiences with the pizza, her only food preference on campus, and has taken her money elsewhere.
“They’ve been heating them too much; it burns when you bite it,” Alvarez said. “The first time I had a bad experience, but I went again and it was the same thing. I’ve stopped eating here completely, because that’s the only thing I could eat.”
Staniskis has been in the food business for 45 years and said she tries to take everybody’s food preference into consideration.
“We do offer vegetarian burritos, with beans, rice, lettuce and tomatoes,” Staniskis said. “We also offer turkey burgers, veggie burgers and vegetarian rice bowls.”
However, due to the small space in both buildings, there is a lack of freezer and a lack of refrigerator space to store a variety of foods.
“We don’t have much to work with,” Staniskis said. “We are trying to make due with what we have as far as the space and our limited capabilities.”
Before the delis existed, they were used as vending machine rooms. Vending machines are important for some students, like sophomore Camian West.
“They need to put more vending machines for struggling students like myself so we can eat more fashionably,” West said.
Staniskis said that there is not a huge selection in the delis, but that the food is good and not too expensive for students.
“Even if it’s not on the menu, we will make it,” Staniskis said. “As long as we have the product, we try to help anyone out.”
