The UCC Marketplace has had updates to its menu and branding every semester since its opening. Residential and Dining Services (RDS) has been making updates based on student feedback, and the feedback has been vehement. This semester, Fantastic Flats, formerly Halal Stall, has been replaced by Happy Appy, where students can buy appetizers like dumplings, samosas, and pretzels. Grill Nation, formerly Colonel John’s, has been replaced by the Yella’s menu, a Passaic County sandwich and burger restaurant. With these changes, students have complained about the new upcharges and long wait times. On January 29, Trina Ballantyne, Dean of Residential and Dining Services (RDS), emailed the student body with updates.
The email addressed the frustration expressed by the student body and the parents’ Facebook group, and assured that RDS was listening and working to “improve the dining experience for everyone.” Changes were made to the pricing, though some menu items still include a $1-$3 upcharge. The Yella’s menu contains six food categories: Submarines, Hot Subs and Steaks, Burgers, Chicken Sandwiches, Chicken Tenders, and Milkshakes. 15 of the 22 food options can be purchased without upcharges, unless a customization like bacon or avocado is added. Milkshakes can be purchased for $3 if they are added to a meal, or they can be purchased separately with a full meal swipe, valued at approximately $15. There are similar discrepancies in Happy Appy, where individual appetizers can be purchased for $5.50-$7.75, or two can be purchased for $13, though the only option to pay with swipes requires one full meal swipe and grants two appetizers.
While the wait time has decreased for Marketplace dining options, a continued issue is that students will receive the Grubhub notification before their order is actually ready. This causes a backup of students at the pickup area, with some students abandoning their meals because they don’t have time to wait for the pickup before class. The Grubhub notification system continues to frustrate students because it often does not update with additional wait times. If the estimated pickup time is 12 p.m. and the order is not ready at 12:01 p.m., the app continues to display the estimated pickup time as the present time, counting up the minutes instead of recalculating a new pickup time. If menu options are sold out or the order needs to be canceled, no notification is sent to the user, and they often find out when they check the app again for a pickup time. These issues with the notification system also contribute to a problem where orders are incorrectly picked up by other students.
Ballantyne’s email also referred to the construction happening in Gateway Cafe, where Just Walk Out Technology by Amazon will be implemented instead of using card readers at a kiosk. Information on the opening date of the new Gateway Cafe has yet to be released, though The Stute was assured that our lovely Gateway Cafe ladies are not being replaced by Big Tech. In Pierce Dining Hall, the “G8 Station” has also been rebranded to “Delicious Without” to ensure food is prepared without exposure to common allergens. While the growing pains of the new locations continue, Ballantyne encourages students to submit feedback via their mobile messaging or by emailing RDS@stevens.edu.
Pierce Dining Hall: 201-904-3398
Pierce Cafe: 201-904-3838
UCC Marketplace: 201-904-3747
Cannon Cafe: 201-904-3771
America’s Cup: 201-904-3833
Catering: 201- 987-7199
