U of R’s dining options might be forgetting students’ run on a tight budget
With its glowing green and orange menu, the recently opened Fresh Junction features a tempting lineup of options. If you’re anything like me, a working student who habitually skips breakfast to catch the early bus, it provides much needed fuel to get through those long days.
I found a place to sit and eagerly took a bite of the warm, tightly wrapped sub sandwich. The garlic, mayo, and sweet and sour sauces melted into my mouth, pairing well with the deli meats and cheddar cheese on the seasoned bread. They were not stingy with any of their ingredients and the sandwich was generously packed with meats and condiments, making for a decently satisfying meal.
Yummy but too $$!
As I sat down to eat, I observed that Fresh Junction already appeared to be a popular spot. I noticed many of the seating areas were already crowded with hungry students.
Blake Shirran, a first-year biology student, was eating various Fresh Junction items with a group of her friends and was willing to share her thoughts on what she ordered and on the quality of service at Fresh Junction.
“I made a custom wrap, just plain old chicken, bacon, ranch wrap. I asked them to load it up with ranch and they definitely did, and they gave a lot of chicken. There was so much chicken. They did really good on the proteins, and it is actually very good,” said Shirran.
So, to all the gymbros already asking, “where’s the protein, bro,” rest assured that the lovely employees of Fresh Junction will happily load up your rice bowl, sub, burger, or chicken wrap up with enough protein to keep you going for the day!
Being the first meal that she tried there, Shirran said she was pleased with the quality but disagreed with me that it was affordable for students.
“It’s still good, but it is just more expensive than I expected it to be. The pros are obvious. Like with all campus restaurants, it’s easy and accessible, but the cons, I’d say, are really the price because, for being in college, it’s definitely more expensive than you want it to be,” said Shirran.
Despite her critique of the prices, she did not have any complaints about the quality of the food, giving it a rating of three-to-four out of five, and would recommend it for other students.
Frankly, I can’t say I have ever been more impressed by anything served on campus than the hastily made turkey sandwich or soup I pack for lunch. -Yaniet Abebe
Let’s go back to home-cooked meals
Although I disagree with Shirran that Fresh Junction is too expensive, I do agree with her about the larger conversation to be had about how many of the other prices at campus dining spots have become very unreasonable. Tuition is rising, inflation affects everything, and most students pay out of pocket, yet the campus dining often fails to consider the financial realities of their primary customers.
I rarely buy anything from most restaurants on campus for this reason, particularly when the prices far outweigh the actual quality and portion sizes. What sets Fresh Junction apart from the rest is that they are generous with their portions and have fresh ingredients, which can’t be said of every campus dining place.
Frankly, I can’t say I have ever been more impressed by anything served on campus than the hastily made turkey sandwich or soup I pack for lunch. Taking home-cooked meals is something I highly recommend to all students as a more budget-friendly alternative!
Beyond just the money I save, campus dining simply can’t compete with the peace of mind that comes from knowing I made a frugal choice to opt out. However, students who work on top of taking classes don’t always have that option and rely on campus food.
I would recommend that restaurants on campus reevaluate how they could improve their pricing to be more attractive to students, whether that means lowering prices across the board on their menus or offering a more budget friendly menu section.
Comparison
Operating from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. during the fall term, Fresh Junction, I would say, is one of the better restaurants out of the options in the Riddell Centre.
Price-wise, it is much more affordable than many of the other food services on campus. For instance, Ultimate Rotisserie Experience, Liang’s Kitchen, and Da Curry House have medium sized meals that range between $10.49 and $17.95 or higher, whereas Fresh Junctions’s prices include a 12 inch sub sandwich for $12 and a 6 inch for $8. If you like sushi, salads, wraps, subs, rice bowls, fruity drinks, etc., they offer all of these options with prices ranging from $7 to $12. The meals are highly customizable, you can have your pick of meat, veggies, cheese, and condiments for almost any meal. Fortunately, they also have vegetarian and Halal options!
Despite my criticism of the pricing of all the dining spots on campus, I still affirm that Fresh Junction is one of the better options in terms of pricing, portion sizes, and quality, but I am convinced that the same meals could be easily replicated at home for a fraction of the cost, so I will leave them with a 3.8 out of 5 rating.
A parting word to students: before you head to class tomorrow, grab a tupperware container and pack your own lunch. Make your own sub sandwich or rice bowl! Your wallet and your stomach will thank you.
