Following greater demand for a lighter and quicker breakfast on East Campus, students can now get breakfast to go at the Marketplace.
Breakfast on the Run, introduced after fall break, allows students to pick up food on a table in front of the dining area from 7:30 to 10:30 a.m. weekdays.
"Some students wanted something lighter and would rather eat at the bus stop, some students wanted a change and some students didn't have time to eat," said Skip Herrod, general manager of East Campus dining facilities. "We felt a need to be able to offer something that was quick to meet the needs of the students. We're trying to be as versatile and as accommodating as possible."
Herrod said the setup--which allows customers to choose one food item from three categories--encourages students to eat a balanced meal. Food items range from bagels and muffins to yogurt and fresh fruit.
"If you are not a freshman, then you can still just swipe your card or use points to get a Breakfast on the Run option. Swipe and go. One stop shopping, hopefully," Herrod said.
He said a similar program was tried last year but did not garner as much interest since it was started so late in the year. This year, he said, the plan has been successful, attracting 125 students daily.
"Even if it's 125 students, then we'll serve the needs of 125 students. That's the way we have to look at it," Herrod said. He added that the administration had pushed for a more proactive and customer-focused policy.
Freshman Alyssa Shell said she appreciates Breakfast on the Run. "Some mornings, you are running behind at school or you want to get up later, so why waste your time when you can eat on the bus?" Shell said.
But she said the program was inconvenient when it ran out of food. "They never have any components, so you still have to wait while they get more food," Shell said. "It's a pain sometimes."
Freshman Megan Quinn said she does not use Breakfast on the Run because she thinks the program wastes materials by packaging the food. "The little cereal boxes are extensively packaged, and then they put the little cereal boxes inside a bag so that you can take it out," Quinn said. "Plus it just encourages the very American style of eating very quickly, rushing around and not sitting down and having a decent conversation."
But Herrod said Breakfast on the Run does not encourage students to rush their meals. "We still have a large number of students that are coming and dining in the facility. Breakfast on the Run really helps people that have a tight schedule or like to sleep late, so I feel that we are meeting the needs of both groups."
Herrod said he thinks Breakfast on the Run will continue. "Never say never, but the intention is to have it for the rest of the year as long as participation does not drop. But it looks like the way things are going now, we'd like to offer it next year and as long as it meets the needs of students," Herrod said.
New additions, such as breakfast sandwiches, have been popular, he said. Herrod is also considering adding sausage, gravy, biscuits and hot chocolate.
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