LCCC Students Express Their Displeasure With The Removal Of The Cafeteria

Keira Davies | Writer

Students search for food options at Lehigh Carbon Community College (LCCC) but are coming up short-handed after the closing of the school's cafeteria. Students can no longer go to the full-service cafeteria where there was hot, made-to-go, fresh food. Instead, the cafeteria has been replaced with vending machines with prepackaged, fast food-like items, with a self-checkout system.

Grace Yost, a dual enrollment student at Lehigh Carbon Community College (LCCC), is displeased with the removal of the cafeteria because it eliminated one of her food options.

“Without the cafeteria, there is no place for me to get healthy food unless I pack lunch every single day which I don’t have time for,” said Yost.

Many LCCC students agree with Yost, stating that without the cafeteria there are no places that you can go to get a healthy meal.

Gwendolyn George, majoring in Sports Management at LCCC, states that without the cafeteria students are limited on what they can eat.

“Fast food is kind of impractical because I want to eat healthier meals and have more options to choose from,” said George.

Although students are looking for healthier options, Gene Eden, the Director of Student Life, explains how switching to vending machines has brought on more food options.

“This food service option allows for options and brands that were not possible with the former food service operation,” said Eden.

Before making the switch to kiosk-style food, LCCC was limited to what food brands they were allowed to work with because they were bound by a contract that forced them to first ask the cafeteria caterer before asking a local business. Now students are able to get Panera and other restaurants to cater their events instead.

“The goal of the college is to make sure there are options for students,” said Eden.

LCCC students now have food options throughout the whole day instead of just at the allotted time that the cafeteria was open.

As the semester continues, will the self-service style food grow on students or will it further their displeasure in the removal of the cafeteria?