By: Pamela Kellman
Students who visit the Ohio Burger in the Student Union may have noticed some changes to the establishment made last week.
The changes, which include a repositioning of the line and register, additional menu offers and a new 99-cent promotion, were prompted in response to congestion in the Union and Catering Operation’s desire to compete with other on-campus eateries.
The Ohio Burger Company used online survey results to gauge what changes students wanted to see in their company, pairing the survey with a chance to win a mountain bike.
“I don’t know if it’ll speed anything behind the counter,” senior Communications student Mark Bardbourne said. “I will say it is one of the best burgers
I’ve ever had.” Bradbourne added that his first meal on campus was in 1993.
What most people fail to realize, according to student manager Eric Merryman, is that many employees of the Ohio Burger Company have never been a part of a franchise opening.
“We’ve gotten a lot faster,” Merryman said. “Our order times are down to six or seven minutes.”
The menu changes have been geared toward competing specifically with Subway, while also providing students with the choice of a combo meal. Merryman explained that revenue from the Ohio Burger Company goes toward the University rather than to a franchise, like Subway.
“A lot of people who want to eat healthy aren’t going to want to eat a giant burger every day,” Merryman said.
The new Ohio Burger Too, a smaller, a more cost-efficient option, is a good equivalent of Subway’s $5 meal, according to Merryman.
“[The price] is very fitting because it’s the only burger place on campus,” sophomore Mechanical Engineering student Zach Lax said. “You have chicken sandwiches downstairs for the same price.”
Ohio Burger hopes to add more healthy food options besides the Garden Burger and side salad. The 99-cent menu, appropriated for Homecoming, gives students the option to purchase either two Zippy cookies, a waffle cone, a fountain drink or a salad when they order any burger and fries.
“Hopefully this promotion stays after Homecoming,” Merryman said.
