The Mesquite Café is a place that students go to either eat or socialize. And in my years here, the attitudes toward the cafeteria most recently seem to be increasingly negative.

That said, the Mesquite Café is a part of my daily routine, and I love the place.

Yes, servers give me small portions when going through the lines, but I know I can go back time and time again. The food is tasteful, and I know I can always share a good laugh with the friendly servers, Anna and Maria.

The servers are always friendly and they take an interest in the customer’s day, making them a part of the family that this college community offers.

The students I see eating there on a regular basis are always friendly. The entire staff brightens my day with a smile and jokes, and either Anna and Maria are always eager to scoop just a sliver of extra food for the regulars who enjoy eating there. Students flock there to hang out, and it’s a great place on campus to study.

I personally am not a fan of the hotdog and hamburger line, but that is only because the hotdogs are not kept warm, and I do not eat hamburgers much. That is the one thing on which I will fault the café. Everything else is good to me, and I know I am not the only student on campus that enjoys the café. Remember as well, that the food is not from Midwestern so much as it comes from Aramark, a publicly traded food service company with $13.51 billion in revenue in 2012.

Something that is important to bear in mind for students who judge the cafe is that you should not expect something greater than what it is. It is a buffet style cafe that cooks for thousands of students—do not expect gourmet food.

Just remember that the Café is a buffet-style place to eat. There are heat lamps and boiling water pits to keep the food hot and warm. Students who do not like buffets, might not enjoy the Café. Regardless, they should not complain about the food in front of the servers who work to provide a decent meal.

The food offered at the café is affordable, buffet-style food for students who don’t have the money to spend on restaurants or groceries every month. When budgeting my money, I can live off a meal plan so the monthly allowance I receive goes to other expenditures that I need.

I like this place where the servers know my name and treat me like family while providing good food. This is a good place for me.

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