Fresno State's student-run newspaper

The Collegian

ADVERTISEMENT
Fresno State's student-run newspaper

The Collegian

Fresno State's student-run newspaper

The Collegian

Where can I get a bite to eat?

From tacos and coffee, to spaghetti and buffalo wings, there are numerous menu items and multiple outlets to eat at, both on and off campus. It all depends on what a student is in the mood for.

On campus, there are a number of places that students can go to satisfy those inevitable hunger pangs. The University Student Union (USU) is probably the most known and visited location. The USU food court offers students the choice of eating at Subway, Panda Express or the newly added Chick-fil-A.

The USU snack bar has many options for students who want something quick to eat, including chips, sodas, muffins, nachos and hotdogs. There is even dessert for students who are craving an Icee, an Otis Spunkmeyer cookie or a pint of Ben & Jerry̢۪s ice cream, which costs $5.50.

Also in the snack bar is Juice it Up!, which offers students an alternative to Jamba Juice. Students can get a passion punch smoothie for $3.95, and add an energy boost for just 50 cents more.

Across from the USU are other well-known places to eat, as well as some Fresno State originals. There is Taco Bell Express, Roundtable Pizza and the new Mother Mary̢۪s Italian Specialties.

Freshman business major Kristin Beshears said that she enjoys eating at Roundtable Pizza.

“The crust is really good, they have good pepperoni and a slice is cheap,â€Â Beshears said.

If someone wants to sit down to a more traditional meal on campus, there are two choices.

The Bucket, located next to Roundtable Pizza, offers a number of sandwiches, wraps and hamburgers. The Bucket also has food for customers watching their weight. A grilled chicken sandwich, asian chicken salad or a veggie burger for $4.20 are among the healthier options. For a large party, appetizers such as chicken strips and chili cheese fries are available.

The Vintage Room is more of a traditional restaurant on campus. Dining services director David Binkle said that various coupons are available on the Web site www.fresnostatedining.com and in the Bulldog Book. Patrons can find the daily specials sketched on a chalkboard just outside of the Vintage Room entrance.

“At this point, our most popular menu item is our daily feature special, which provides exciting new options prepared by our team of quality chefs,â€Â Binkle said.

There are other places to find food other than the center of campus.

The Satellite Student Union, for example, has a snack bar that has pre-made Subway sandwiches, among other items.

Binkle, whose office is just under the University Courtyard Dining Hall (UCDH), has been getting many compliments about the renovations that have been done, as well as the flavorsome food in the UCDH.

Binkle said that meal plans are available for students who live in the dorms as well as for students who commute to campus. Meal plans are calculated in meal equivalent blocks as well as dollar volume blocks. For those who walk in, there are different prices for breakfast, lunch and dinner. One promotion that the UCDH just started is $5 Fridays.

Andre Ennis, a junior music education major, likes to eat at Panda Express and Chick-fil-A, but mainly eats at the UCDH.

“I eat here just about every day, if not at least four or five times a week,â€Â Ennis said.

A number of restaurants near campus may offer students an enjoyable social setting and a good meal.

Perhaps the most elegant restaurant near campus is The Old Spaghetti Factory, located on Shaw Avenue just west of Cedar Avenue. Manager Fue Yang said that the most popular dish is the spaghetti with browned butter and mizithra cheese. The restaurant is in the process of working a deal out with Fresno State to give students a discount on food.

One favorite among students is Doghouse Grill, on Shaw Avenue across from the Save Mart Center. Doghouse Grill General Manager Matt Bilingsley said that the busiest days are Thursdays and Fridays, and the most popular item is the tri-tip sandwich. Promotions and offers for students were considered but never put into effect.

Another student favorite is University Chicken, on Shaw just east of the student-heavy North Park apartment complex. University Chicken General Manager Jeremy Dominguez said that sororities and fraternities sometimes partner up with the restaurant to raise money by bringing in friends. Fifteen percent of sales for those nights are given to the organization.

REDZONE, a student-led sports booster club, was also given about $7,000 in gift certificates to distribute among students. The most ordered item are the buffalo wings. There are seven different kinds of wings that are offered, with “Globalâ€Â being the hottest.

“We offer a 911 challenge,â€Â Dominguez said. “You have to eat 12 wings in 10 minutes without drinking anything or using any napkins. If you finish, you get a free T-shirt and your picture on the wall.â€Â

With so many options close by, students with a craving for a snack or a rumbling stomach will find no shortage of places to satisfy their appetites.

View Comments (10)
Donate to The Collegian
$100
$500
Contributed
Our Goal

Your donation will support the student journalists of Fresno State Your contribution will allow us to purchase equipment and cover our annual website hosting costs.

Donate to The Collegian
$100
$500
Contributed
Our Goal

Comments (10)

All The Collegian Picks Reader Picks Sort: Newest

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  • B

    BULLdogDec 7, 2007 at 12:07 am

    Attention Collegian writers!!!!

    -listen up, I̢۪ll not mince words here. The Collegian is struggling. The stories are powder puff, I really feel like I̢۪m reading high school freshman news coverage when I read the majority of your stories. Walk with me through some recent Collegian headlines. This is not a shot at you, but at Collegian reporting in general.

    1. “Bored, try starting a new clubâ€ÂÃ¢€¦..really, a new club?
    2. “Yes its possibleâ€Â story about fast food selection on campus, I understand you need one of these stories every six months, no problem.
    3. “An unconventional addictionâ€ÂÃ¢€¦.about magazines
    4. “Eating out around campusâ€Â another one of over 7 campus food stories in the last 3 months.
    5. “Chuck Norris approves presidential candidateâ€Â maybe an attempt at a humor piece, because Norris is a joke.

    Most Collegian stories have zero student response. That̢۪s not because students are not reading them, it̢۪s because the stories lack substance, depth and meaning. Please be clear, not all stories are like this, I̢۪ve read a few great stories that report the facts and invoke tremendous student response and discussion. I̢۪m not even saying you need to report with a fair and unbiased reporting style (we clearly don̢۪t get that in the classroom). It just seems like the Collegian steers away from any potentially divisive issues. The very issues we learn to critically exam in college are seemingly ignored by the majority of Collegian writers, is this purely coincidental? Race relations, gender roles and relations, gun control, abortions in college, illegal/legal immigration, nuclear proliferation, societal trends, civil liberties, supreme court cases, new laws, national heritage, gangs in America are just a few of the many issues that insight discussion. The student population (though not always well informed) have strong feeling about these and other major contemporary issues. These are not just national issues, these issues each effect a different cross section of the student populous. Yet we get stories about fast food on campus, and parking spaces, and scantrons and lots of other nothing burger issues.

    Thanks and think.

    GO DOGS!
    [email protected]

    Reply
  • B

    BULLdogDec 7, 2007 at 7:07 am

    Attention Collegian writers!!!!

    -listen up, I’ll not mince words here. The Collegian is struggling. The stories are powder puff, I really feel like I’m reading high school freshman news coverage when I read the majority of your stories. Walk with me through some recent Collegian headlines. This is not a shot at you, but at Collegian reporting in general.

    1. “Bored, try starting a new club”…..really, a new club?
    2. “Yes its possible” story about fast food selection on campus, I understand you need one of these stories every six months, no problem.
    3. “An unconventional addiction”….about magazines
    4. “Eating out around campus” another one of over 7 campus food stories in the last 3 months.
    5. “Chuck Norris approves presidential candidate” maybe an attempt at a humor piece, because Norris is a joke.

    Most Collegian stories have zero student response. That’s not because students are not reading them, it’s because the stories lack substance, depth and meaning. Please be clear, not all stories are like this, I’ve read a few great stories that report the facts and invoke tremendous student response and discussion. I’m not even saying you need to report with a fair and unbiased reporting style (we clearly don’t get that in the classroom). It just seems like the Collegian steers away from any potentially divisive issues. The very issues we learn to critically exam in college are seemingly ignored by the majority of Collegian writers, is this purely coincidental? Race relations, gender roles and relations, gun control, abortions in college, illegal/legal immigration, nuclear proliferation, societal trends, civil liberties, supreme court cases, new laws, national heritage, gangs in America are just a few of the many issues that insight discussion. The student population (though not always well informed) have strong feeling about these and other major contemporary issues. These are not just national issues, these issues each effect a different cross section of the student populous. Yet we get stories about fast food on campus, and parking spaces, and scantrons and lots of other nothing burger issues.

    Thanks and think.

    GO DOGS!
    [email protected]

    Reply
  • B

    BluestoneNov 15, 2007 at 10:31 pm

    Slow news day? Come on! This article looks like it was written by a high school student. I suppose the Collegian can’t be entirely to blame, though. I was one of the many people who wanted to see the newspaper get rid of the wire stories (although I never said anything), and I guess you needed something to fill the pages.

    Oh, and you forgot Planet Java. There’s a location in the Peters Business Building lobby and the basement-level study area in the Kremen education building. Each location offers all the standard Starbucks-esque fare, such as lattes, iced and blended coffee, sandwhiches, salads, muffins, sodas, etc.

    There’s also a fridge with premade Subway sandwhiches in the food court, Starbucks coffee in the USU snack bar, and a food cart outside of Science II.

    Reply
  • B

    BluestoneNov 16, 2007 at 5:31 am

    Slow news day? Come on! This article looks like it was written by a high school student. I suppose the Collegian can’t be entirely to blame, though. I was one of the many people who wanted to see the newspaper get rid of the wire stories (although I never said anything), and I guess you needed something to fill the pages.

    Oh, and you forgot Planet Java. There’s a location in the Peters Business Building lobby and the basement-level study area in the Kremen education building. Each location offers all the standard Starbucks-esque fare, such as lattes, iced and blended coffee, sandwhiches, salads, muffins, sodas, etc.

    There’s also a fridge with premade Subway sandwhiches in the food court, Starbucks coffee in the USU snack bar, and a food cart outside of Science II.

    Reply
  • P

    Pac-Man GomesNov 15, 2007 at 12:35 pm

    11,000 Taco Bells in one city district is not a “few too many”—–it’s glut. but seriously, More Del Taco!

    Reply
  • P

    Pac-Man GomesNov 15, 2007 at 7:35 pm

    11,000 Taco Bells in one city district is not a “few too many”—–it’s glut. but seriously, More Del Taco!

    Reply
  • W

    WhateverNov 15, 2007 at 10:51 am

    Man I’m still pissed University Chicken raised the prices and made the orders smaller. The beer is already too expensive there too!

    Red Wave on Tuesday night is the place to be for a bargain!

    Plenty of non-fast food options are available in town. No need to get on a high horse and bash the whole town because there’s a few too many Taco Bells.

    Reply
  • W

    WhateverNov 15, 2007 at 5:51 pm

    Man I’m still pissed University Chicken raised the prices and made the orders smaller. The beer is already too expensive there too!

    Red Wave on Tuesday night is the place to be for a bargain!

    Plenty of non-fast food options are available in town. No need to get on a high horse and bash the whole town because there’s a few too many Taco Bells.

    Reply
  • F

    Fire Welty Now!Nov 15, 2007 at 10:26 am

    This is Fresno—-look around. Our city is one giant fast food court.

    Reply
  • F

    Fire Welty Now!Nov 15, 2007 at 5:26 pm

    This is Fresno—-look around. Our city is one giant fast food court.

    Reply