09/24/2015
DUC to go?
Why does the DUC not let students take their food to-go, and how would campus life change if this idea was enacted?
I, like many other students on Emory’s campus, and very active and always have a place to go. Knowing this, I believe that Emory should be as accommodating as possible for the lifestyles of all of their students. However, one of the most frustrating observances that I have made thus far at Emory is the fact that the eatery at the DUC, the main dining hall on campus, will not let students take their meals to-go. Students must sit and eat their food, even if they have limited time, in a specified area, using the DUC’s silverware, plates, and trays. As a freshman especially, my meal plan provides free swipes at the DUC. If I were to want a turkey spinach wrap, I would be able to get it for free at the DUC, but I would have to plate my meal, find a seat in a usually crowded dining area, and completely finish it before leaving. Usually I find myself wasting some of my wrap that I could have eaten for lunch the following day. I could grab the same spinach wrap to-go from Eagle Subs, for example, but I would have to pay around $6.00. In repetition, money adds up. As a researcher, I would be interested in seeing both sides of this issue: those of the students and those of the administration and DUC employees. While this restriction forces students to spend money at other places on campus, to-go boxes provide a nice alternative for students as well as ensure that more food being produced at the DUC does not go to waste. I feel that this is an issue that will result in many different opinions and views, and I highly doubt that I am the only Emory student who has considered this option at the DUC, grabbing napkins to take an extra cookie, apple, banana, or peach.