Campus cafeterias need to allow to-go boxes
Campus cafeterias have a strict rule where students are not allowed to take cafeteria food out of their respective halls. No matter what meal you are eating in one of them, it is forbidden for food or drinks to leave the cafeteria area and it must all be consumed while you are sitting there.
The cafeterias on campus should allow students to take to-go boxes of food out so students can have extra food stored in their dorms or be able to eat it on the go if they are in a hurry.
I never eat breakfast because I either have a class to get to or I just never have enough time set aside to go to one of the cafeterias to sit down and eat.
For students that always seem to be in a hurry due to classes and other obligations, being able to just quickly run into a cafeteria and take some food on the go would be such a helpful asset. Students sometimes have very irregular eating patterns in college, including students who may forget to eat entirely. Having this to-go box option could help ensure that students are eating when they need to be.
I’m always hungry so if I was able to have some extra food from the cafeteria stored in my dorm, my stomach would likely appreciate it. Instead of reaching for another package of ramen, I could grab a box of that famous West Hall macaroni and cheese.
If students were able to take food out, it could also possibly limit the amount of food that is leftover when the cafeterias switch between meals for the day. If there is a considerable amount of food left or even if it just needs to be gone, students should be able to take what is left to help minimize the leftovers of the food, which in turn would also minimize the waste of it.
The signs plastered inside of Kerr Hall that call for the minimization of food waste are almost ironic, as there is an opportunity to actually start practicing what is being preached.
Having to-go boxes in the cafeterias would greatly help students who are on the go constantly or those that would just like to have some extra food laying around their rooms. It could not only help students, but it could also help resolve some of the waste problems UNT is so passionate about solving. To-go boxes have the potential to be a very helpful tool in the way that students dine on campus.
Featured illustration by Max Raign
Although takeout boxes are convenient, they generate a lot of trash. That is not in keeping with UNT’s “We Mean Green” motto, which I personally follow in every possible instance, and support the school for following.
Additionally, takeout boxes and their accessories will raise the average price of meals in the dining halls. If they were made available, it should only be at additional cost to students who wish to use them, or UNT should do away with the mandatory unlimited meal plan for residents of certain halls.