Shorter hours at Chick-fil-A and Alpine Bagel Cafe

Fans of Chick-n-Minis now have less time each morning to grab a pack due to reduced hours at Chick-fil-A in Lenoir Mainstreet.

Chick-fil-A and Alpine Bagel Cafe both had their hours reduced this semester after seeing poor early morning and late night business, respectively.

The student dining board of directors changed vendors’ operation hours in April, said Scott Myers, director of food and vending for Carolina Dining Services.

Chick-fil-A, one of several food vendors in Lenoir Mainstreet, now opens at 9 a.m. instead of 7:30 a.m. and closes at 7 p.m. instead of 8 p.m.

Alpine Bagel Cafe now closes at 10 p.m. instead of 2 a.m.

Myers said the opening of Freshens in Lenoir Mainstreet and the 24-hour Wendy’s in the Student Union have led to more readily available breakfast options — and thinly spread student demand.

Since the beginning of the semester, Chick-fil-A has seen an estimated 10 percent decrease in profit, Myers said, adding that Chick-fil-A is not the only Lenoir Mainstreet vendor to see reduced hours. Most vendors now close at 3 p.m.

Brittany Reeves, a member of the student dining board, said vendors don’t see much significant profit after then.

And after this semester, CDS plans to reassess the hours of Wendy’s.

Despite an average daily profit of $6,000 throughout the 24 hours it’s open, Wendy’s is struggling to attract business from 2 a.m. to 10 a.m.

“We are putting out a survey done by a national food business that most colleges use, and we are going to use that information to assess student opinions,” Reeves said.

“I just don’t know if a 24-hour Wendy’s is the best possible solution.”

Nine students interviewed by The Daily Tar Heel said they did not notice a change in Chick-fil-A’s hours, but some said they are still grappling with Alpine’s reduced hours.

“Alpine, although it is a chain, is still kind of Carolina’s place,” senior Joel Sronce said.

“This is where there is a sense of community, where people who attended the University can talk about the Alpine.”

Myers said he has not received any complaints from the vendors’ employees after the change in hours.

But Myers said the reduction of hours has not left students without food options.

“At 10:30 p.m., you’ve still got the Pit Stop that’s open, you’ve still got the Daily Grind that’s open, you’ve got Wendy’s that’s open, Rams Head Market, Late Night at Rams Head (Dining Hall),” he said. “There are plenty of options with the number of people that are going through.”

Contact the desk editor at university@dailytarheel.com.