Even though the Laker Inn is no longer a dining option, Egan Dining Hall, the bookstore and the C-Store have compensated with temporary perks.
The problem is that these are only going to last for the duration of reconstruction of the Student Union.
At this point, we have all gotten so used to having them that taking them away would be almost cruel.
Excluding the displaced faculty members whose offices were located in the Union, the Mercyhurst upperclassmen have probably been inconvenienced the most from the flooding of the Student Union. Many of them have very small meal plans, and some do not have a meal plan at all. A portion of them have admitted that a majority of their meals come from the Laker Inn.
In an attempt to offset this, Parkhurst has implemented some changes for dining options until construction is complete.
The C-Store has recently been running with extended hours. It used to only be open daily from 5 p.m. to 12 a.m. Now the doors of Warde Hall are unlocked so that all students have access to the C-Store from 9 a.m. to midnight on weekdays.
Even though it operates under normal hours on the weekends, having it as an option during the day is extremely convenient. The C-Store also carries additional “On-the-Go” items, such as sushi, that were not available before. It may drain our Dining Dollars a little bit faster, but it is a nice perk nonetheless.
Lately, the staff at Egan has encouraged students to take food to go due to added foot traffic.
Plastic containers are available for use instead of the Eco Boxes, which can be used by students for a $3 fee. Once again, this will only be available for the duration of construction.
As of Monday, March 23, Egan offers sandwiches to go during certain hours.
The machine that houses the to-go items clearly states that this will only be available while the Laker is closed. This is yet another option that will no longer exist in future years.
While all of this is great, it seems safe to say that the perk everyone will miss the most is the extended hours. Egan remains open until 11:30 p.m. on weeknights and 11 p.m. on weekends. The late-night options are especially nice because they are similar to what is offered at the Laker.
We all miss the Laker Inn, but the majority of students still eat at Egan on a regular basis. I have been going to Egan more often now that these changes have been made.
With the exception of the freshmen, it is a possibility that Egan will lose business if these perks are taken away.​