With so many revamped dining options on Macalester’s campus, possibilities for meals can seem endless. What is a hungry student to do? I sat down with nine students to see their preferences, favorite meals and more.

Sydney Keiler ’17:

The Atrium because, especially now, with the unlimited options of veggies, I get a turkey sandwich with bacon and that chipotle mayo. You can convince me to eat anywhere if there is chipotle mayo.

Rachel Ladd ’17:

This is hard … I guess I really like the Atrium but that is mostly for social aspects. That is where all of my friends go so that is where I go. I get a sandwich, chipotle mayo is a must have and then I put chips with it. It’s the salty and the sweet, it is delicious, everyone should try it.

Sophie Macks ’16:

Scotty’s, because rice. I could eat rice and beans everyday. Yep.

Zach Busby ’18:

Well, currently I guess it would be The Atrium. After two years of Café Mac the routine … you get tired of the similar foods over and over again and so I just recently, this year, started going to the Atrium. I really like the sandwiches — the parmesan bread! Just yesterday switched it up to making roast beef sandwiches instead of my usual chicken, turkey, bacon one. It is nice to switch it up, I don’t know.

Myles Ambrose ’17:

My favorite place to eat on campus is Scotty’s because it is the closest thing to Chipotle. And Chipotle is the reason I live and breathe. I get a burrito bowl with rice, black beans, cheese, sour cream, chicken, guacamole, pico and corn. And then once I get it, I mix it up real nice and good and then I eat it. Burrito bowl [over burrito] has more food and I am trying to avoid the lard that is in most tortillas. I am on a lard-free diet these days.

Pradyut Bansal ’17:

I like to eat in all the locations that campus has to offer because I am moody and I like to eat in different places on different days.

Martin Moore ’18:

Definitely the Atrium, they really stepped up their game this semester with all the options. I have my sandwich, it is perfect, it is perfectly crafted. It is wheat with chicken, pepper jack and lettuce. And then, for the topping: onions, banana peppers and those spicy Italian peppers, whatever those are called. And then chipotle mayo and Sriracha. It is really spicy. [Chipotle mayo] is good. We were just talking about filling water bottles with Chipotle mayo [laughs]. Like the hamster water bottles (laughs).

Claire Mercer ’16:

That’s a big question. I probably have to say the Atrium. Especially because of the soup option. I really like to get the soup instead of getting the cookie and the chips when you get a meal swipe. Something that everyone should know about. You heard it here first. And it’s sweet because the soup changes all the time and if it’s good you can get it and if not you just get the normal thing. And also, the freedom of the toppings. The wrap option. I usually get a wrap, which is really good, especially with the tofu salad, which I really like. Very tasty, very unique, very good.

Julia Sullivan ’18:

Can I just say why I don’t like all the others because that’s more of a process elimination for me than I really love a place here? Well, I don’t like the Atrium because the line is always super long and I’m allergic to tomatoes. I didn’t recently figure that out until now, so I was experiencing a lot of pain, post-sandwich eating. I really like going to the Grille, except I am unfortunately out of flex points as of today, so I don’t think I will be going there anymore. But I like the cheese quesadillas. I really like cheese quesadillas at the Grille. And they have Clif bars. And they have Izzy’s. So I would definitely say the Grille in terms of my favorite; in terms of variety, in terms of taste, quality and quantity. I have never been to Scotty’s, unfortunately, but that’s not my area. The LC is not my zone. Actually the Loch, did they upgrade the Loch? Well, if they did … I haven’t had it yet. But the old Loch, I kept having sandwiches over and over again and I got really sick of them, not much variety, like they have at the Grille.

Final preference breakdown:

The Atrium: 5

Scotty’s: 2

The Grille: 1

No preference given: 1

The Loch: 0

Cafe Mac: 0