Lines billowing beyond the entry to The Loop demonstrated many students' willingness to sample the new eatery's menu since its Dec. 9 opening.
"The first day it opened we came twice," junior Elizabeth Hein said. "The Loop satisfies all of my dining needs."
Throughout The Loop's first week, heavy traffic and limited supplies forced the eatery to operate under reduced hours.
"[The Loop] opened before Christmas break and weren't open for lunch and were basically only open for dinner because on the first night they were crunched," said Director of Dining Services Jim Wulforst. "They were shocked and concerned about getting to closing time with enough food."
Wulforst also said that The Loop, modeled after the franchise in Chapel Hill, has experienced higher sales than the original location.
The Loop-which replaced the three-years-old Han's Fine Chinese Cuisine-is also outpacing other main West Campus dining options. "They're doing more revenue, dollars and cents, than McDonald's," said Wulforst.
David Moody, one of the managers at The Loop, also indicated that the eatery has been a success. Loop employees estimated that the number of daily purchases has regularly approached 1,000.
Most students said that they enjoyed the new dining option, which opened after a long series of delays.
"I like it. I haven't had a lot of exposure to it yet," said senior Lane Blundell. "I ordered the same thing that I ordered the last time I came here, I liked it so much."
But the nature of the restaurant-combined with students hunger for the salads, sandwiches, hamburgers and specialty pizzas it serves-has generated long lines.
"Everything is made-to-order," Wulforst said. "The average person is going to wait an average of 12 minutes once the order is placed."
But Wulforst remains optimistic. "Certainly, I'm concerned [about the lines], but the feedback that I've gotten has been positive," he said.
Most students agreed that the line was a small price to pay. "There's nothing you can do about it," said Junior Abhijit Prabhu. "The food's worth it."
Others disagreed. "No, it's not worth the wait," said sophomore Adam Lawson, "but I'm here because of Duke's [limited] selection."
The customizable aspect of the eatery, along with the novelty of a new restaurant, has proven popular with many students.
"We're all about mixing," said sophomore Jeff Wu as he and fellow sophomore Mike Fliss ate a combination pizza with grilled portobella mushrooms, artichokes and bacon bits.
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