Overcrowded eateries plague campus

Moses Utomi / Staff Writer / The USD Vista

As I stand patiently in line for a pita at La Paloma, I get the distinct impression that I am doomed. My stomach was in open rebellion before I entered the charming little deli, but now my feet are hurting too. The staff is rushing back and forth to get everyone served but the line remains unmoved still. I’ve taken to playing Pac-Man on my phone but the strategic coordination of the ghosts leaves me even more frustrated.

To top it off, the place is crowded. Impossibly crowded. Every 20 or so seconds, someone comes in through the doors and mutters a quiet “excuse me” as they bump past me to hunt for a seat. The line itself stretches out past where its supposed to end and concludes in a confusing little mass of hungry students spilling out the door.
Eventually, I get my food and look around for a place to sit. It looks like every seat is taken. The tables are packed on the inside, so I go outside to look for a chair. Luckily, I find one and then I get to eating.

The pita is fantastic. A big bang of flavor explodes in my mouth and my stomach sings in anticipation. The bread is light and soft and the warm, succulent meat is an excellent contrast to the crisp, cool vegetables.
This is the signature experience of La Paloma and the other on-campus eateries: pleasant eating and painful overcrowding. Though these places are typically free during most of the day, the lunch rush can be overwhelming and time-consuming. Spending a half hour simply getting food and finding a place to sit is not uncommon.

The atmosphere of the eatery is spot-on, the food is great and the selection is solid, but the congestion can decrease the enjoyment one would typically get from the experience.

The problem is that there isn’t really a clear solution. The staff does their best and are constantly busy attempting to accommodate so many people. The task is simply too much to handle. I doubt the massive freshman class makes it any easier.

The DMV-esque ticket system seems to be the best way to handle the overflow. Also, I think an additional cashier would be helpful. The only thing worse than waiting too long for food is waiting even longer to pay for that food.

The construction of the new student center next year may help alleviate the madness but it looks like this year is going to be full of long waits, overcrowded seating and frustrating games of Pac-Man.