U-2 increases food selection as Frist sales rise, Wawa reopens

It is a little after 2 a.m. on Dean's Date and one place outside study rooms is clearly hopping: U-2, the U-Store's convenience store.

At this time last year, U-2 would have been closing for the night. But tonight the line for the checkout snakes back through the candy section as students — the sleep-deprived beneficiaries of the U-Store's decision last fall to open U-2 24/7 — rush in for snacks to help them through the night.

"The new 24-hours policy has been really great," said Ranjani Krishnan '06. "It's really nice to be able to get food whenever you want, even though it is really tempting to spend money when you're up late studying."

The U-Store also recently added food selections from Tiger Noodles, Sakura Express and Chuck's Spring Street Cafe.

"We just put out the new food after break, and it's done really well," said Virginia France, U-Store marketing director. "We want to be a super-convenient place and these changes are obviously what students wanted."

The changes have led to a small increase in business, France said.

The new food, which was just added last week, promises to increase business even more, said Joe McGready, the U-Store's dorm and convenience-store buyer.

"The new food was the result of requests from students," McGready said. "Right now all the restaurants close at 11 p.m., and so now students can get this food at hours that are convenient for them. It's really increased our business, too, with people coming in just for the new food."

France denied that the changes were made in an effort to compete with the Wawa, which just completed a renovation that began Nov. 30.

"We may have attracted some additional people during the Wawa's renovation, but they do so much business with construction workers and the community that we don't see ourselves cutting into their business," France said. "We are here to meet the student's needs. We aren't trying to get the general public."

No Wawa representative was available for comment.

But extended U-Store hours and selection have not cut into business at the Frist Campus Center, said Stuart Orefice, director of dining services.

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Instead, Frist has seen an increase in its sales this year, with convenience store sales up over 10 percent, he said. Orefice attributed the convenience store's success to a new product mix that includes Krispy Kreme doughnuts.

Some students say the convenience of Frist outweights cheaper prices at U-2.

"Some of the new food at the U-Store is cheaper than the stuff at Frist, but I always end up going to Frist anyway because I want to use my meals instead of spending money," said Pam Carlton '06.

The U-Store, the Wawa and Frist all attract a great deal of student business, but few students see them as in direct competition with each other.

"They all cater to different groups of students depending on where they live. Students who live in Forbes aren't going to walk up to the U-Store at 2 a.m. in the morning just to get sushi," Krishnan said. "All the businesses have their own place on campus.