Lakeside feeds growing student population

Large crowds and long waits during lunch at the Fresh Food Company did not grow as more freshmen flooded the campus.

Some of the crowds just went to Lakeside instead.

Bama Dining officials said they have made significant changes to better serve the students and faculty who choose to eat on campus. Lakeside Dining Facility has helped to eliminate the issue of overcrowding at other locations.

Greta Davis, marketing manager for Bama Dining, said Lakeside serves approximately 2,400 students a day, in comparison to the 1,000 students being served at Fresh Food Company.

"None of the Bama Dining locations are less busy this year," Davis said. "The University's enrollment has grown so much that Lakeside simply provides an additional facility to serve the growing student population."

Mary Burke Hall also made improvements last spring and is now serving nearly 300 more students daily this fall than last year.

Gerogiy Bolshinksky, a sophomore majoring in chemical engineering, said he ate at the Ferg twice a day last year but now visits Lakeside Dining more often.

"I pretty much eat only [at Lakeside] and then sometimes at the diner upstairs after 10 [p.m.]," Bolshinsky said.

Kelli Mason, a senior majoring in political science, said she eats at the Ferg a few times a week, and she said she has no interest in eating elsewhere on campus.

"I live off campus and have to park at ten Hoor [Hall], so I'm not going to walk any farther than the Ferg to eat," Mason said.

Though some students chose at which dining hall to eat based on quality of the food, others said they dine wherever seems to be the most convenient.

Katy Briggs, a sophomore majoring in biology, said when she lived in Lakeside East last year, making the trip to the Ferg to eat everyday was a hassle.

"For anything I ever wanted, I always had to go to the Ferg," she said. "I like the food better [at Lakeside Dining] anyway."