Students voice opinions on preferred cafeteria services
by Aaron Vess, Reporter

   Hungry TCC students are still dealing with a lack of food service on all four campuses after the school's food vendor, Weber's Catering, went bankrupt at the end of the spring semester.
   Most students do not have a particular preference about the type of food; they just want food available.
   "Any kind of food is fine at affordable prices," Charles Rogers, SE Campus criminal justice major, said.
   Business declined in the cafeteria because of many student complaints about Weber's catering that ranged from scarce advertisement to poor quality of food presentation.
   "I ate at the cafeteria once, and the food wasn't very good," NE campus freshman Nowshin said.
   "I just wanted something good that was easy and quick to cook."
   With the old vendor gone, the administration has chosen a new vendor to provide food to TCC students.
   "I don't think anything short of providing food from popular food chains would increase the number of students that eat at the cafeteria," Mike Thomas, NE student, said.
   Some students were ready with recommendations.
   "Fast food, like Chick-fil-a, Taco Bell or McDonald's," Trey Simmons, SE Campus psychology major, suggested.
   "Cost is real important, and fast food is not too expensive. We (students) have to pay for books and tuition," he said.
   Some students say that they do not eat at the cafeteria because they are too busy getting from one class to the other, and when they get hungry, they grab a snack.
   "I usually don't have time after class to eat," Kristin Cooper, NW Campus sophomore, said.
   "It's usually easier and cheaper to just go to the Bookstore and grab a snack and a drink," she said.
   Other students are disappointed that the cafeteria is shut down and that students who stay around campus most of the day cannot eat a full meal.
  A few would like food available at more locations on campus.
   "I think not having a cafeteria is very inconvenient," Krista Gardner, NE campus sophomore, said.
   "Students should be able to eat during class breaks and while they study."
   While the administration is in the final stages of establishing a new vendor, some students do not understand why it has taken them three months to replace the previous vendor. "I think the administration should have taken better care of the students by finding and selecting another food vendor as soon as they found out the old one was going bankrupt," Cooper said.
   Though TCC officials hope the new vendor will attract the student community with innovative marketing plans, good customer service and new varieties of good quality food, some students would rather leave the cafeteria and have a fast meal elsewhere.
   "I think students don't eat in the cafeteria that much because they're so accustomed to a high school cafeteria and tired of cafeteria food," Bethany Hudgeons, NW Campus sophomore, said. "Plus, it's easier to get in your car and go to Subway," she said.
   A few students offered advice to the new vendors: act friendly toward the customers and keep the area clean. "Nice people are always good," Dannette Odell, education major, said. "The staff has to be nice. If the people (staff) are grouchy, then you don't want to go."
   In addition, Odell stressed sanitary conditions and portable foods.
   "The cafeteria has to be clean. People won't go if it's dirty," she said. "And they should serve basic lunch stuff like hamburgers and some food you can take with you."