While many students remain in bliss ignorance of their options for dining on campus, the doors to the Memorial Student Union Building (MSUB) are both unused after their daylight hours, and fully open to them. The university’s dining contracted company Aramark expanded their hours after a survey was taken by students, stating that the possibility of having more dining availability for dinner on campus would be appreciated.
“A lot of people don’t really know that we were already open at night last semester, and now they kind of just pass by and ask if we’re open,” Jose Villarreal, Starbucks supervisor, stated. “Now that they do know, we see them more often too.”
The new hours began at the start of last year’s fall semester, leaving Chick-fil-A to close at 7 p.m. (Monday to Thursday), Starbucks at 9 p.m. (Monday to Thursday), leaving Pizza Hut and Subway to alternate closing at 10 p.m.
“I didn’t know until last semester that the hours had changed, but it seems like a good place to study before a test,” Monserrat Meneses, Texas A&M University Kingsville senior, said.
“I might go there the night before a final and grab a coffee to be able to stay awake.”
With the new hours posted, Starbucks employees find that the amount of students that do spend nights in their store have become store regulars. They’ve grown to know their names,
orders and friends as well.
“We get a lot of students during my night shift that know me and my coworkers really well. It makes the connection between staff and students really fun to have, and definitely makes our day a lot more eventful,” Starbucks barista and TAMUK junior Alyson Longoria said.