Staff Editorial: The Grille makes a 180, or rather a 155

When Spring Break came, not only did students leave, but so did the Marlin Grille. When students returned, the Grille was still gone. As a matter of fact, the Marlin Grille has taken a permanent vacation and 155° has taken its spot.

New name, new food, new prices, right?

WRONG!

New name, new prices. Same food.

The new prices came with the new name. Instead of entertaining the thought that we are poor-college-folk-who-can’t-afford-to-eat-out-much, 155° now boasts higher prices. Good-bye to $3.83. Hello to outrageous dollars and I-don’t-have-enough-pennies. Surely the hamburger and fries will taste the same on little black plates as they do in the new 155° cellophane and fancy serving boxes. The price change might be caused by the specialty paper and boxes, but could we put the money elsewhere? There are a couple of things that probably need the change from the price hike more so than cellophane and boxes. The money from the price hike could be used for: (1) the parts needed to make the Gatorade/Sobe machine work, (2) hiring new people in order to make the experience more pleasurable.

The Gatorade/Sobe machine is that big silver box that is behind the silverware on the side counter. It has existed since last semester. Has anyone ever gotten a drink from that machine? All the machine does is take up space. But then again, the machine could have a second job. It could be the big blocker that keeps people from noticing all of the health code violations. After all, thanks to the machine, it is hard to see the guy picking up your french fries with his bare hands while getting your drink.

We’ve all complained about the service at the Grille, um 155°. At points it was slow, but the workers were awesome. Not only did they talk to students, they smiled and had a fun attitude. However, recently, the service has taken a major nosedive. Whatever happened to all of those nice people? Answer: they’ve been replaced by people who are candidates for Worst Food Worker of the Year. We all know about the person that’s always giving the “What do YOU want” attitude in the morning and early afternoon. Then there’s the person who serves food with no gloves. We’re talking about sneezing, wiping the nose and then grabbing a handful of fries without washing hands. That’s less appetizing than believing that 155° stands for the neat temperature. From students to faculty to staff, we all notice the service. And we all notice the little things that make an appetite disappear just as fast as campus does when it’s a warm beach day outside.

Students, faculty and staff have all complained at least once about the problems of the Grille-turned-155°. The food might be cooked, but it’s barely warm. The prices are absurd. And the hours are just ridiculous. It might be shocking, but students do get hungry after 8 p.m. What are the other food options after 8 p.m.? (1) Chanello’s (2) Food in the room (3) Wawa (4) Dollar menus at Wendy’s and McDonald’s.

People may have to go a few years back, but does anyone remember any of the old Grilles from the past four years? The Grille in Eggleston Commons didn’t have much variety, but at least the food and service was great! You even got your money’s worth. For those who lived in Village I at the time of the Eggleston Commons Grille existence, you didn’t even have to go outside on a cold, rainy day to get food!

When the Grille moved to its current location, there were more options. Calzones, strombolis, Campbell’s soup, individual pizzas and mozzarella sticks were added to a menu that included sandwiches, wraps, chicken nuggets and hamburgers. The food was still good at the time of the move.

Since then, there have been even more options added and more taken away. When was the last time a calzone was made? Potato soup was a hot item. When it was offered, it was usually the first soup that needed to be replaced by mid-afternoon. The whole Campbell’s Ready-Made-Hot Soup got canned. Soup is still offered, but in cans. Do subs even exist anymore (aside from the one’s offered on the daily specials)? Nope, didn’t think so.

The old Grilles were great. Good food and great service. It really felt like you got your money’s worth. The prices might have been the same, but that hot turkey sub tasted like it was worth the $3.83. Ask for a hot turkey sub, and get a we-don’t-have-that-so-you-have-to-either-starve-or-get-something-else choice instead.

RIP to the better Grilles with better food and service

Welcome 155°, the place of high prices, low quality (and quantity) food.

And most definitely, RIP tastebuds and money.