For my first two years at Mercyhurst, I could pretty much count on the same prices and large portion sizes in the Laker.  My burrito bowl was always overflowing out of the to-go containers.  The bun of my sandwich could never fully close with all the vegetables and meat, and the fill-your-own fries were the best.

Now, in my third year, the price of food has risen, and the portions I get seem to get smaller and smaller each time I go.

I live off campus this year and no longer have a meal plan.  For me, that is a cheaper route.  Some days I will still stop by the Laker to pick up dinner on my way home from classes.  Last year, with all the food that was given for each meal, I could make it last me two days.  But this year, one sandwich barely fills me up.

My favorite thing to get is the burrito bowl.  I was not really surprised when they raised the price from $6 to $7.  To me, for what I got, that was still a very reasonable price.

As I order my bowl, I realize that I start to get about half the amount that I was expecting.  The rice was barely enough to cover just the center of the container and I could probably count the number of beans on two hands.  If I order chicken, I get maybe enough to last me three or four bites, but if I get the beef, it is the center of every bite.

When it comes to the toppings, I hope to fill the bowl part way, but yet again I was disappointed.  My lettuce and banana peppers are always hidden by the mounds and mounds of sour cream that is placed on top.  I like sour cream, but not that much.  I had to start ordering the sour cream on the side just so I did not get too much.

Moving over to The Grille, it saddens me that the chance to fill your own fries is no longer available.  I can understand why they took it away, but it would at least be nice if the person serving the fries asked how much you wanted.  Instead, they give one little scoop and it is off with you and onto the next person.  If we are paying the same price as we would have for the fill-your-own fries, they should at least fill our fries until we ask them to stop.

Raising prices in dining areas is expected to happen.  You would just hope that as they rise, the amount of food would at least stay consistent, and not slowly disappear, like the cash in our pockets.