CHRIS BACKLEY Juan Aleman hands a
breakfast to go to Jeffrey Wang at Puzzle’s
Eatery.
By Laura Rico
Daily Bruin Contributor
UCLA Dining Services welcomed on-campus residents with new menu
items and increased operation hours at two of its restaurants this
year.
Puzzle’s Eatery is now open for breakfast from 7-10:45
a.m. Caruso’s Deli in Sproul Hall is open for lunch from
11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Last year, students could only take sack lunches from the dining
halls, but now Puzzle’s allows them to order breakfast to go
as well.
“Students requested more options for breakfast,
specifically fast food,” said Charles Wilcots, assistant
director of Dining Services.
“Many students are in a hurry to get to class in the
morning, so they don’t want to go to the dining halls and
wait for an omelette to cook,” he said.
Wilcots said because the De Neve Plaza dining hall is not
complete, eateries must stay open longer to accommodate
residents.
“The Office of Residential Life was expecting De Neve to
be complete by fall quarter, so the menu additions and extra hours
are in part due to the lack of a dining hall,” Wilcots
said.
ORL made additions to its dining services based on feedback from
a food and environment committee last year.
The committee meets weekly in residence halls. It is made up of
residents, resident advisors and housing and dining
administrators.
Changes made to the fast food eateries are part of a new
“Bruin on the Go” program, which seeks to accommodate
students who don’t have time to sit down and eat in the
dining halls every meal.
Wilcots said Dining Services has been successful in meeting the
dining needs of students.
“The program is doing great,” Wilcots said.
“Our residents and guests appreciate the new
features.”
Besides Puzzle’s, Caruso’s has also extended its
hours.
Caruso’s lunch menu features panini sandwiches, Italian
submarine sandwiches and salads, according to Josue Cruz,
facilities manager of Puzzle’s and Caruso’s.
“The menu rotates weekly, and we offer a variety of
salads, sandwiches and soups,” Cruz said.
New menu items at Puzzle’s include breakfast burritos and
an egg and sausage sandwich called the “Egg McUCLA.”
Combination meals include sides such as bacon, hash brown or
sausage. Doughnuts, muffins and assorted fruits are among the new
desserts added to the menu.
Residents hoping to start their day on a healthier note can
order smoothies made with fruit juice and non-fat yogurt.
“I like coming here for the smoothies, but burritos are a
bit too heavy for breakfast,” said Nancy Samra, a second-year
psychology student.
Whether they come for smoothies or fast food, Cruz said students
are taking advantage of the additional hours.
“On Friday, we served 453 students at Puzzle’s for
breakfast, which was more than the totals for Rieber and Hedrick
combined,” Cruz said.
“They usually serve about 150 people each for
breakfast.”
Cruz attributes the popularity of Puzzle’s to smoothies,
which make up “80 percent of sales during the last 45 minutes
of operation.”