Food court design confuses students, more cashiers needed
University of Idaho students often look like lost puppies inside the Idaho Commons food court.
This is because there is no longer a general cashier waiting to ring up students wanting to purchase prepackaged food and drink items. Now, there are only cashiers at each of the specialized sections in the food court such as Mein Bowl, Jamba Juice and SubConnection.
Amber Emery
If someone doesn’t want a sandwich or Chinese food, for instance, they still have to wait in the same line as students waiting to be served hot food — even if they only have a bottle of Pepsi in hand.
Although it may seem like a small issue, reinstating general cashiers would not only increase business for the food court, but it would also make for a better customer experience.
Without a general cashier, the food court discourages people who have a 10 minute break in between classes from buying food. At the same time it annoys people who want to grab something on the go. If the lines are long, the would-be food court customers can hike up to the Vandal Express store on the 2nd floor instead.
While freshmen may be used to the food court being set up this way, upperclassmen know better.
Last year, and years prior, there were at least two general cashiers in the food court who were stationed near the court’s exits. Those who opted for a salad or beverage could quickly pay for it and leave within a minute or two, while people who wanted hot food went ahead and spent a few minutes waiting in line. According to a story about McDonald’s printed in Business Insider last month, the reason McDonald’s has gained such a following worldwide is because of its speedy, convenient service.
In the face of decreasing sales for the franchise, instead of investing in better food options McDonald’s plans to, “create more memorable experiences and to deliver unparalleled convenience.”
Vandal Dining — essentially Sodexo — should follow suit and consider putting general cashiers back in the commons food court to make dining there more convenient for UI students on a tight schedule.
I, for one, have not bought food or drink items from the food court in months because I find the service to be more convenient at other locations on campus. Toward the beginning of the fall semester, I grabbed a sushi tray and didn’t know where to check out due to the layout change.
Then I walked up to the Mein Bowl cashier — who was not helping anyone at the time — to purchase the sushi. Consequently, I was told to go to the end of the Mein Bowl line, which extended out into the seating area of the commons.
I had class in about seven minutes, so I just put the sushi back and waited until after class to eat.
In an environment where people are constantly on the go, why make what should be a relatively simple process more complicated?
I commend Vandal Dining leadership for trying to make positive changes to the food court over the last few years, but taking away the general cashiers was a bad move. Vandal Dining should recognize that while students may enjoy their new food options, it’s now inconvenient for some students to eat there.
Amber Emery can be reached at [email protected]