Erica Shi | Staff Illustrator

Some people eat to live, but I live to eat. I would be lying if I said that I didn’t carefully schedule my days to ensure that I get to eat three full, satisfying meals. However, getting those three meals in has been much more difficult since I arrived at WashU. 

I know I’m only a first-year and it’s a little early for me to be complaining, but the Dining Dilemma, as I’m calling it, has already proven to be a real challenge for me. There are two main problems within the broader Dilemma: a lack of dining facilities open on the weekend and early closing times for the retail options open during the week. 

On Saturdays and Sundays, every dining option in the Danforth University Center (DUC) is closed except for Cafe Bergson. As for retail dining, the only places open on the weekends are Corner 17 and Subway, which close at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m., respectively. In other words, seven out of the nine retail dining options and seven out of eight of the DUC’s eating choices are closed every weekend. 

What does this mean for students? Well, for two days a week, we must choose from the same six options in Bear’s Den (seven on Sunday at BD), or the same five options from the Village. There’s also Cafe Bergson, Subway, and Corner 17, but none of them are open for dinner, and I don’t know many people who eat sesame chicken for breakfast (No judgment to those who do, though. That stuff’s delicious). 

Don’t get me wrong, the food that is open on Saturday and Sunday is great; there’s just very little variety on the weekends. I have legitimately alternated between chicken tenders and quesadillas for most meals, which isn’t the most sustainable lifestyle.

The second big issue with WashU dining is the early closing times of most options outside of BD and the Village. During the week, five stalls in the DUC close at 3 p.m., eliminating them as options for dinner. Four of the retail dining options close by 3 p.m., and most others close by 6 p.m. Again, this leaves us at the mercy of our two main dining halls yet again (really one, if you’re a first-year, as we don’t usually venture out to the Village), which means even more chicken tenders and quesadillas.  

I recognize it’s not easy to feed over 3,000 people, and I’m very grateful to the hardworking staff who keep me fed every day. I do, however, know that this lack of variety is not sustainable and has been a source of frustration for many others besides me. (PSA: if you’re looking to make new friends as a first-year, try talking about how annoyed you are that you can’t find food on the weekend. It’s a great conversation starter.) 

My proposed solution is to start off small. If possible, it would make a huge difference to just keep a few more of the options in the DUC open on weekends, even if it’s not all of them. The same goes for the hours; if just a few dining options outside of BD and the Village could stay open until at least 7 p.m., it would be a game changer.

Student Union has actually already started to implement some small initiatives to address the situation. During the fall semester, Student Union is piloting extending hours at one retail dining option for five days a month. In September, The Fattened Caf had extended hours from Sept. 8 to 12. In October, Beast Craft BBQ will have extended hours from Oct. 20 to 24, and Lajoy’s Cafe will be open later from Nov. 17 to 21.

According to Student Union Vice President of Engagement, senior Ella Scott, if this pilot period is successful, it is possible that extended dining hours will be implemented starting next semester. 

I understand that solving the Dining Dilemma is not a simple task. However, I believe that WashU students need dining options that both align with our busy schedules and provide variety to keep us healthy and happy. After all, food is fuel, and a lot of WashU students still need fuel after 7 p.m.