5 Restaurants In The UA Food Court That Are Still Somewhat Appealing During Senior Year
Start writing a post
Student Life

5 Restaurants In The UA Food Court That Are Still Somewhat Appealing During Senior Year

These places can still be enjoyed without inducing a feeling of automatic nausea.

189
5 Restaurants In The UA Food Court That Are Still Somewhat Appealing During Senior Year
Unsplash

As a senior at the University of Arizona, I have eaten more meals then I could possibly count at the UA Food Court, the glorious mecca consisting of several average at best restaurants, and the go-to dining palace for any student too lazy to cook their own food and who does not want to walk down to University Boulevard to get something halfway decent to eat.

As a freshman, the food court is a wonderfully appealing place where students enjoying their first slice of college freedom can go have a slice of pizza or a burger anytime without their parents yelling at them to eat their veggies. But after the first few months of the semester have passed and you have eaten at each restaurant more times than any human should, the food court becomes a desolate, lonely place where the mention of each of its restaurants will do something different to a student’s stomach.

However, some restaurants are better than others at keeping a student’s stomach intact throughout their college career. Here are 5 restaurants in the UA Student Union that I can still stomach, even during senior year.

1. Cactus Grill

One of the hidden gems of the food court is Cactus Grill, located on the third level of the Student Union and probably the closest thing the UA has to an actual cafeteria. This is your go-to place for decent food at a not so decent price, the mantra of all college restaurants. Cactus has a rotating hot menu and constantly serves certain staples such as quesadillas and grilled cheese sandwiches. The vast selection of offerings and the rotating menu make Cactus an always reliable option, no matter how long you have been at college.

2. Chick-fil-A

The Chick-fil-A in the union is technically a Chick-fil-A Express, so it only serves about half the menu options of a normal Chick-fil-A. This paradise for chicken lovers thoroughly believes in the classic saying that you can’t screw up a chicken sandwich, and they listen to this everyday as they provide perfectly fine chicken sandwiches to UA students. It’s a place that still doesn’t sound terrible, no matter how many times you eat there.

3. Pangea

This buffet-style food extravaganza features a fairly expensive price, but it is a buffet so the cost is almost worth it. With a vastly diverse menu that contains all sorts of different foods, Pangea always sounds good. Plus, this place has a terribly inconvenient schedule of when it is actually open, so most of the time it will probably be closed if you want to go. This brilliant marketing tactic makes college students keep craving Pangea, because whenever they want to go they discover it to be closed, which forces them to try again later.

4. Papa John’s

Decent ingredients. Decent Pizza. Papa John’s. That’s how the slogan probably should go. Papa John’s is one of the few places in the union that rarely has a line of people waiting, making it a prime dining option for those on the go. It still sounds appealing during senior year because, after all, it’s pizza, and when does pizza not sound appealing?

5. Einstein Bros.

Breakfast is apparently the most important meal of the day, although I think that is up for debate. Still, this place serves up bagels and coffee in a way that will keep students coming back throughout their college careers, providing an okay bagel with an almost okay price.

These restaurants may not sound great, but they are tolerable, which is about all you can ask for from a food court restaurant as a senior. Besides, they are certainly much more tolerable than unholy, nausea-inducing places such as Panda Express or Steak’ N Shake, the latter of which has only been in the food court for less than a year and already sounds horribly unappealing. But hey, when I finally do graduate, I just might miss that feeling of standing in the Student Union while frustratingly trying to come up with somewhere to eat that I don’t think will make me feel sick.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

56358
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

36295
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

958213
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Reasons My School Rocks!

Why I Chose a Small School Over a Big University.

188187
man in black long sleeve shirt and black pants walking on white concrete pathway

I was asked so many times why I wanted to go to a small school when a big university is so much better. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a big university is great but I absolutely love going to a small school. I know that I miss out on big sporting events and having people actually know where it is. I can't even count how many times I've been asked where it is and I know they won't know so I just say "somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin." But, I get to know most people at my school and I know my professors very well. Not to mention, being able to walk to the other side of campus in 5 minutes at a casual walking pace. I am so happy I made the decision to go to school where I did. I love my school and these are just a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments