If you’ve been to the bottom of the Student Union lately, you might have noticed that the once beloved Laker Inn now ceases to exist. The Cinco Cantina had already moved to the Anchor Express this past semester, but the closure of the Laker Inn and Crimson Cup was something that saddened students. However, this turned out to be a blessing in disguise with the introduction of the Roost Express.

The Roost Express is open Monday-Friday from 9 am to 3 p.m., to provide students with breakfast and lunch options they otherwise wouldn’t be able to try out.

Some popular menu items include stuffed French toast, the cinnamon roll breakfast sandwich and Reuben sliders. The spirit of the Crimson Cup lives on in the Roost Express, where you can order smoothies in strawberry, strawberry banana, very berry, or mango peach flavors.

An element of the Laker Inn also remains in the Roost Express, where students can order bottled beverages, packaged snacks, and sandwiches. All of these items (except for the Grab and Go options) must be ordered through the GET app, and can be purchased using dining dollars or bonus bucks.

The addition of the Roost Express came as dining options have been changing in recent years. “As we added dining venues across campus and expanded hours of operations at other units the foot traffic and participation at the Laker Inn decreased significantly,” said Katie Boyd, general manager of Parkhurst.

“In an effort to shift with dining trends, we wanted to create a mobile only venue on campus to help satisfy the student’s need for speed during the day. We are hoping that this model helps in participation, and it is already starting to show!”

Students can also check out the Roost Express menu through the Food U app if they need an idea of what they might want to order. There is a variety of tasty breakfast options, including breakfast sandwiches and French toast, as well as appetizers, including pretzel sticks and pizza logs, that students can have as a snack in between classes if they wish.

There are also many lunch options including the Rooster (chicken tenders on a brioche bun) and the Brazen burger (a beef or veggie burger topped with pepper jack cheese, lettuce, tomato, and brazen sauce).

For a sweet treat, students can choose between a Bailey’s chocolate chip cookie sandwich or a warm homemade cinnamon bun for a tasty dessert.

While the Laker Inn is dearly missed, the Roost Express gives students a fresh experience. Since the Roost is generally only open for dinner, the Roost Express gives students a chance to try out options straight from their kitchen.

Be sure to order something on the GET app and stop by the Roost Express to check out what they have!

If you’re ever experiencing any difficulty with the GET app, please stop by the OneCard office, don’t suffer in silence!