“Up to Par”: Hamber’s New Cafeteria

Photo Credit: Adelaide Guan

Following Hamber’s move to the new building, students were introduced to a new cafeteria experience. Located in the atrium, directly across from the main entrance, the new caf has drawn a variety of reactions from Hamberites.

Audrey Lee (11) and Eduardo Castro Cavalcanti (12), prefer the new cafeteria. Their deciding factor? Its aesthetics.

“The art is nice and it’s cool how there’s individual tables instead of long benches,” Lee said. “It is more interesting than typical cafeterias.”

Lee continued that she’s visited the caf more often than she did last year “because it’s in front of the main entrance, and last year it was kind of hidden away on the first floor.”

Castro Cavalcanti commented that the new caf “looks way cleaner than the old one, and I feel that there’s more space to walk.” He especially likes the big windows because they let in so much sunlight. “It makes the atmosphere more pleasant.”

However, many students are concerned by the new cafeteria’s smaller size, and fewer seats. “It’s really small,” said Isra Khalid (10).

Ahsan Heran (8) agreed, adding that he immediately noticed its significantly smaller size. “There is not enough space,” he said. “I do not eat in the cafeteria because it is always full.”

Another one of students’ concerns is the caf’s prices. “Sometimes I would get food for 7 to 8 bucks last year, so it seems the same,” Lee said, comparing the price of her chicken strips between the two cafeterias. “I think both were expensive, the old one and the new one,” said Castro Cavalcanti.

Students aren’t the only ones affected by the new setup — Hamber’s cafeteria workers have also been adjusting to a brand new kitchen space.

“[The kitchen] is brand new. There's a lot of space, a lot of fridge area, and we all have our own areas, which is nice,” said cafeteria worker Elvira Anselmo. “Everything is brand new, like our convectional ovens. Nothing is old, nothing is breaking down. Everything's up to par!”

When asked if she’s seen more students buy cafeteria food than last year, Anselmo responded, “125 per cent. Because we're on the main level, there's more [students coming] through both entrances.”

Anselmo has, however, encountered one significant issue this year. “My drink containers are having a problem with stealing, so we have to watch everything,” she said. “It is difficult because thieving is huge. I have to be more controlling of the whole situation.”