The decision to have these other food companies on campus was a mutual agreement between both Bon Appetit and Biola, said Steve Rall, general manager of Bon Appetit. The company’s contract with Biola, up for renewal in 2025, states that Bon Appetit is the sole food provider on campus. However, the food company is attempting to cater to student desires.
“We usually go to the community and let the community help us decide,” Rall said.
OUTSIDE FOOD PRODUCTS WELCOMED
The Heritage Cafe will be not an official Starbucks franchise store, but will serve Starbucks products, like espresso drinks, drip coffee and frappuccinos, Rall said.
Starbucks has been widely requested by students for at least ten years, Rall said. When discussing construction plans for the Heritage Cafe, Auxiliary Services decided that Starbucks drinks in the cafe would meet students’ requests, said Don Sims, senior director of auxiliary services.
“For some years people keep talking about, ‘Why can’t we have Starbucks?’ So when the decision was made to do the Heritage Cafe, we decided it would be good to give Starbucks a try to see how that works for people,” Sims said.
Bon Appetit started to open its doors to outside food products about a year ago, when Chick-fil-A products were catered at certain department events. If a specific department on campus wanted to have Chick-fil-A cater an event, they would have to request it through Bon Appetit, Sims said.
Knowing about the possibility of Chick-fil-A catering, some students find that they would be more willing to attend campus events.
“I love Chick-fil-A and it would be great if it was at an event because the closest one is so far away and you have to take the shuttle or drive a car to be able to get it. So having it at an event would be great,” said Jacqueline Kurnia, freshman business major.
Students were accepting of Bon Appetit openness about allowing off-campus food options. Some students thought that it would help Biola branch out.
“I’ve thought about how other, bigger universities have food from well-known areas and not just Bon Appetit, for example. I think that’s really exciting because it helps with expansion of Biola and helping it be more well-known,” said Katlin Puchalski, junior communications studies major.
Other students are simply happy about having diverse food options on campus. While students still like Bon Appetit, they also welcome the addition of new food.
“I think it’s a great idea because I think that eating Bon Appetit every day at the Caf for four years is awesome, but a little bit of options would be nice too,” said Mary Allen, sophomore nursing major.
STUDENTS ANTICIPATE NEW CAFE
Rall also mentioned that the target date for the cafe’s opening is April 3. which is anticipated to open on April, 6.
Not only is Biola ready to provide the new cafe to students and faculty, but students are waiting for the opening of the cafe.
When asked if she was excited about the new cafe, freshman intercultural studies major Heather Smith said, “I’m excited because it’s really exciting to have frappuccinos and stuff and I really love acai bowls.”
Several students are looking forward to the location of the Heritage Cafe.
“I’m excited about it, I think it’ll be good to have an option in that area because I have a lot of classes near there,” said Riana Bean, senior sociology major.
Jacob Inman, junior business marketing major, said it will also be convenient because it will offer more student jobs as well.
“I work at Commons and I think it will be good to have a place located where so many students pass by,” Inman said.
While some students think that the location would be optimal, others think that it would actually be an inconvenience.
“I think that it’s good that they’re opening a new coffee shop, but the library will be crowded instead of quiet and everyone will just go there to hang out instead of study,” said freshman business major, Jacqueline Kurnia.
