New Take Out System Aims to Reduce Crowds

Instead, Carolina Dining Services has a new station set up in Mainstreet Lenoir for students who want their food to go.

Outta Here, Lenoir's alternate offering, is located across from Jamba Juice and contains four menu options -- one of which is vegetarian -- that mirror choices featured at the Top of Lenoir.

The new station offers continuous service from 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Menu options and hours are listed on the dining services Web site.

Evan Klingman, director of CDS, said he is excited about the new Outta Here program. He said that about 150 students used Outta Here for lunch Tuesday and more than 175 students used it Wednesday.

He said the idea came after officials received numerous comment cards and surveys from students last year who complained about the long lines and waits to get into the upstairs section of Lenoir. "We want to clear up the crowds this year," he said. "We're trying to be proactive."

Klingman said that on average, 200 to 225 students used carry-out boxes from Top of Lenoir at both lunch and dinner last year.

Students can mix and match the menu options, and they also can have as much as they want, Klingman said. "You just have to tell us how much you want," he said.

Klingman said he hopes this will eliminate a lot of headaches for students "We think it's going to be a positive addition to the program," he said.

But Jessica Davis, a cashier at Lenoir, said reaction to the new program has not been all positive.

Davis said she worked for four hours at Outta Here on Tuesday night and had only four or five customers.

On Wednesday, she worked as a cashier for the Top of Lenoir and had to tell students looking for take out supplies that they had to eat at Outta Here.

Davis said these students were angered by the change.

Some students complained about the variety at Outta Here, especially the lack of vegetarian options, she said.

Jessica Doner, a sophomore exercise and sport science major, is one of those students. She said she took out food from the upstairs of Lenoir a lot last year and was surprised when she was told that she now cannot.

Doner said she is a vegetarian and was disappointed with the options at Outta Here. She said she normally eats pasta or selections from the salad bar when she eats upstairs.

Cara Perinetti, a freshman biology major who has a block meal plan, said she has been eating fast food rather than using Outta Here because she has not liked the options so far.

If Perinetti was allowed to take food from the Top of Lenoir rather than eating prescribed options from Outta Here, she would be more likely to use her meal plan, she said. "It would be better to up and choose what you want," she said.

But not all students are disappointed. Sophomore Eric McIntosh said the new service could save students a lot of time. "It depends whether students think it's more important to save time or eat what they want."

The University Editor can be reached at udesk@unc.edu.