Ever been so pressed for time that you do not have time to sit down in Lawrence and eat a meal? Or have you wanted to go back to the comfort of your room to enjoy a meal, take it to a friend’s room, or eat it on the go. Lawrence Dining Hall has created a solution for students by offering “meals to go.” The meals “to go” program was created by the staff of Lawrence dining hall as a result of feedback received from students expressing their desire for it.
For students to get a meal “to go,” they have to tell the cashier that they would like their meal to go. The cashier will swipe the students ID card for a meal, and hold the ID card until the student returns. The cashier will hand the student a bag with the containers inside. To-go containers include one cup for a beverage, an entrée container and a soup bowl.
Students will have approximately 10 minutes to retrieve their meal and return to the cashier. All the food that is available to students who sit and eat will also be accessible to students to get their food on the go; there are no restrictions on carry out. When going back to the cashier, they will return your ID to you and send you and your meal on your way.
Students are allowed to get as many “to go” meals as they please, as long as their meal plan allows. To-go meals cost one meal each swipe, there is no additional charge.
“The feedback from the students has been very positive so far. They like it a lot,” said Matt Seamon, one of the managers of Aramark working on West Chester’s campus.
He believes that it is so successful because students appreciate their voices being heard and the convenience of this new system. He said students were looking for more options to be able to enjoy the food at Lawrence without having to use extra meals, flex, or cash that is required to get a meal to go from the Diner or Ramshead.
“I hardly ever use Lawrence because of my schedule, but since I can take it to go I will be using it more. Plus it’s cheaper (than other dining areas on campus). It’s an ideal situation,” Olivia Faix, a third-year student, said.
Since this system is so new, Aramark does not plan to improve upon meals to-go anytime soon. Lawrence will continue to listen to student’s opinions regarding dining. According to Seamon, Aramark is currently in discussion to extend the hours of Lawrence, to possibly be open earlier or later this semester to further convenience students.
Next time students find themselves busy and do not have time for a lunch break, they should remember they can stop at Lawrence for a quick to- go meal, and continue their day from there.
Ginger Rae Dunbar contributed to this article.
Sam Greenberg is a second-year student majoring in English. She can be reached at SG655862@wcpa.edu.