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Crowding at Marciano Commons leaves Warren Towers wanting customers, officials say

While Boston University students have been frequenting Marciano Commons, students have not been going to the dining hall in Warren Towers as often, officials said.

While many students are attracted to the novelty of 100 Bay State Road, Dining Services is trying to bring students back to the Warren Towers dining hall. PHOTO BY SARAH FISHER/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

“We noticed that, especially in the first weeks, we had a fairly significant drop in the amount of students going to Warren,” said Dining Services Director Barbara Laverdiere. “It’s evened out to about 15 percent fewer students than last year.”

BU opened the new dining hall, located at 100 Bay State Road on two floors of the Center for Student Services, at the beginning of the fall semester. Laverdiere said the decrease in Warren attendance was not unexpected.

“We knew people were going to want to go to 100 Bay State initially,” she said. “As the weather gets colder, even less people are going to want to walk [to Warren].”

Some students said they have noticed the smaller number of people in Warren’s dining hall.

“I lived [in Warren] last year, and around lunch time and dinner time you could never even find a table,” said Dani Elefritz , a College of Arts and Sciences sophomore. “Now there are barely any lines for food and there’s always a lot of open seating.”

The aesthetic appeal of the new dining hall as well as the addition of Late Night Kitchen and Rize give 100 Bay State Road an advantage, Elefritz said.

“I love that Late Night Kitchen has a lot more prepared food than Warren late night has,” she said. “I don’t understand why anyone would choose to go [to Warren] unless they lived there.”

KellyAnn Kirkpatrick, a College of Communication sophomore, said she notices fewer upperclassmen in Warren than during the 2011–12 academic year.

“There are definitely a lot less upperclassmen than last year,” she said. “I knew a lot of sophomores and juniors that would eat here, do homework and stuff.  Now it’s pretty much just freshmen.”

Laverdiere said Dining Services has attempted to draw some students back to Warren.

“Our concern is keeping students from having to stand in line at 100 Bay State,” Laverdiere said. “So we’ve been doing things to remind people that Warren is still an option.”

To attract students back to eating at Warren, the dining staff has introduced new foods such as the “Warren Burger” and new selections at late night, she said.

Special theme nights such as a Barbecue Night, Rib Night and Buffalo Wing Night, as well as an ice cream sundae bar, have been held in Warren over September, she said.

“We’ve also kept the Mongolian grill there too,” Laverdiere said. “We’re hoping to add things that will give each of the three dining halls their own personalities on campus.”

Despite the appeal of 100 Bay State Road, some students said they will continue to frequent Warren.

“It’s got a homier feel and people are more talkative,” Kirkpatrick said.

Kirkpatrick also said Warren residents will always continues to eat in their respective dining hall.

“Warren will always have kids here because the freshmen who live in the building will just come downstairs to eat,” she said.

Nick Anderson, a sophomore in CAS, said Warren is a more convenient location during the week.

“On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays I have class in Morse, an hour break and then a class in the science building,” Anderson said. “Warren’s convenient.”

Lindsey Cohen, a COM freshman, said she goes to Warren to avoid crowds at 100 Bay State Road.

“I always expect to be in a long line [at 100 Bay State] to eat the same quality food [as Warren],” Cohen said. “So I just come to Warren.”

Some students said they are confident that Warren will get back the crowds that it used to have.

“I think the new dining hall is still in its ‘honeymoon’ stage,” said CAS sophomore Leah Dixon. “People will go back to Warren when the novelty of [100 Bay State Road] wears off.”

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One Comment

  1. OMG are you serious about this article?? You’re telling us that people aren’t eating at a certain cafeteria… REALLY??? This is what the DFP has come to, you’re stories lack depth, accuracy and just basic good content. So what’s your next article on? Why do people use the 2nd floor bathroom in the GSU more than the 1st floor one??
    This story is the soul reason why print is dying and almost dead. Keep us interested!!!