Students walking around campus with Subway bags and large crowds in Hoya Court during lunch hour may symbolize what many in the university community say is a collective thumbs-up for the Leavey Center’s new fast-food restaurants.
Replacing several fast-food operations run by Marriott, Inc., national chains including Subway, Pizza Hut and Aromi d’Italia Gelato now offer students a variety of familiar fast-food options. Taco Bell and Kentucky Fried Chicken are undergoing final renovations and will open in coming weeks.
Associate Vice President of Auxiliary Services Margie Bryant said that although there are no specific figures to confirm the profitability of the venture yet, the new restaurants in Hoya Court “are meeting and exceeding [Auxilary Services’] expectations.”
Many students said that there is a noticeable difference between the quality of sandwiches and pizza sold at the newly-opened establishments and the food options previously offered in Hoya Court.
Pierce Bush (COL ’08) said he is pleased with the addition of Subway in the Leavey Center.
“It’s a lot better than last year’s stuff,” he said.
Other students said that although they are glad Hoya Court is providing new food options, they will split their time between the new restaurants and the Leo J. O’Donovan, S.J., Dining Hall.
Patrick Yarborough (COL ’08) compared Hoya Court, which currently does not operate on a meal-plan system, and the contract-dining options available at the dining hall to “apples and oranges.”
Bryant said that although students regularly eat at the dining hall, many had expressed an interest in alternative food choices at Hoya Court, and Auxiliary Services was willing to explore different options for the space in the Leavey Center.
“Students wanted fast food,” she said.
Space constraints in Hoya Court made the prospect of name-brand fast-food franchises difficult because the area did not meet many of the requirements for major food vendors, Bryant said.
After careful planning and consultation with franchise owners, however, Bryant and her team were able to see the plans through to fruition.
Though many are eagerly waiting to dine at the new establishments, some patrons said they are turned off by the long lines at Subway and Pizza Hut during the lunch rush hours.
“The lines are a little long, but I guess they’re still working out the kinks,” Medical Center employee Jessica Silcox said.
Bryant said that lines are simply the products of the time of day and Hoya Court’s central location in the Leavey Center, and are not necessarily because of inefficiency at the restaurants.
“If anything, I’ve heard that the lines are fast,” she said.
Bryant said she hopes the long lines will be alleviated in coming weeks as students become more accustomed to their class schedules and go to Hoya Court at different times.
The Hoya Court restaurants are not currently employing students. Although hiring students is not a requirement for these local vendors, according to Bryant, their contracts stipulate that they must at least consider employing students who apply.
Many Georgetown students said they are still awaiting the opening of KFC and Taco Bell to give them more variety in dining options.
Bryant said that the two restaurants are undergoing some construction work, and should open by the end of the month.
Auxiliary Services is also considering new dining options for Darnall Hall.
“We’re just waiting for bids to come in, and we already have a committee to look them over,” Bryant said.
