By Rachel Makabi
Daily Bruin Reporter
With the start of the new school year, the Associated Students
of UCLA has introduced several changes to campus restaurants.
Taco Bell has taken over the entire substation next to Bruin
Walk; Shorty’s Subs relocated from the substation to the
Cooperage, and ASUCLA will add more food carts around campus.
Bob Williams, associate director of ASUCLA, said the changes
began when officials at Taco Bell decided to stop selling
pre-packaged food.
“We could have closed it altogether,” Williams said.
“Instead we had to find a way to change procedures within the
building. This is our way of keeping Taco Bell and serving the
students as well.”
Williams said ASUCLA needed to remodel the facility to
accommodate the increased production of tacos and burritos.
Instead of closing the Taco Bell at the substation, ASUCLA
expanded it and moved the Shorty’s Subs restaurant to the
Cooperage.
Some students said they don’t feel the new Taco Bell,
which reopened last week after closing for two weeks, has
improved.
“I liked it better before when we had more of an option
and not just Taco Bell,” said Patty Felix, a fourth-year
political science student. “The place expanded, but the menu
didn’t.”
Taco Bell now features four new combination meals on its menu.
Taco Bell manager Tony Sosa said while the restaurant is still
experiencing some difficulties with a new printer system, he thinks
it will be resolved by the end of this week.
Steven Qumones, an employee at Taco Bell, noticed an increase in
customers since remodeling.
“The new look is bringing a lot more people here.
I’ve never seen it this crowded,” Qumones said, adding
that prices have not changed.
In contrast to the increased traffic reported at Taco Bell,
employees at Shorty’s Subs in the Cooperage said while they
still have a lot of traffic, they have not noticed more customers
than before.
Williams said he predicts Shorty’s will earn a net income
of $150,000 to $175,000, the same amount it made last year.
“A lot of people have realized that there is something new
here,” said Racshana Elmiri, operations manager for the new
facility.
Eight meals have been added to the menu, such as
“Italiano,” “Moo-moo roast beef” and
“Steffie’s southwest turkey.”
Williams said the university is adding two new food carts in
areas that do not have a restaurant nearby. University officials
will meet this week to decide a location for the carts.
The new carts, called “Tote Cuisines,” will serve
salads, sandwiches, pastries, bottled beverages, hot food and
Krispy Kreme donuts in the morning.