Students Complain of Long Lines at Grab-n-Go

This semester, there’s been an unexpected adjustment to the daily lunch routine of many Amherst students. Grab-n-Go, one of just two lunch options for students, has gotten a makeover. And its transformation has resulted in student complaints of longer lines and fewer options.

In previous years, Grab-n-Go operated as a quick self-serve alternative to Val for students with limited time, offering both pre-packed entrées and a wide variety of snacks for students to choose from. However, the revised system now works as a “full-service model.” The packed food racks of Keefe Campus Center have been replaced with workers who serve students from a salad bar and entrée station.

The decision to adapt to a “full-service” system was made in order to “allow for more custom choices for students and a transition to less packaging,” said Director of Dining Services Bill Connor. He added that “full-service is also faster than self-service and reduces wait times.”

Nevertheless, a number of students complained of longer waits than in the past.

“I don’t come as often as last year,” said Edwige Ghembesalu ’26. “Before, if I wanted to go quickly in between classes, it was kind of possible. Now it’s absolutely not possible, and I’m not gonna make it in time,” she added.

“It’s not even Grab-n-Go anymore, it’s just wait-and-wait,” Ben Davis ’26 said.

Connor explained that the decision to pare down the number of snacks offered was made in order to “increase sustainability practices and to offer better quality foods” such as “fruit, composed salads, and salad bar vegetables.” While some pre-packaged snacks are still available, the quantity has been vastly reduced.

“Many pre-packaged snack packaging was not compostable or recyclable — and much of the packaging that was compostable ended up in the landfill,” he said. “On average, there are now about 10,000 less pieces of packaging ending up in the landfills each week after making this change to paper fiber containers.”

In order to examine the claims of some students that Grab-n-Go is no longer an efficient dining option in between classes, The Student sent an editor each to Val and Grab-n-Go at noon on Monday, Sept. 23. While the editor at Val had gotten his food and found a table in eight minutes, the editor at Grab-n-Go spent 28 minutes in line before getting his food. By the time the editor at Val had finished his lunch, at 12:19 p.m., the editor at Grab-n-Go had just set eyes on the front of the line.

In line in Keefe on Monday, the disposition of fellow students at Grab-n-Go was varied. First-years Naomi McKenna ’28 and Anika Gupta ’28 were relatively unbothered by the long wait. “I like it. I think it’s pretty convenient,” McKenna said.

“I like it because there are options,” Gupta added.

However, sophomore Andy Dinh ’27 expressed exasperation with the length of the line. “Last year was definitely faster; I’ve never had to wait in a line as long as this,” he said.

Dinh explained that he felt conflicted about the changes to Grab-n-Go this year overall.

“There’s definitely an increase in better food, but I’m devastated that they got rid of a lot of snacks — I used to love those,” he said. Defining “better,” he clarified that he meant more filling than last year. “I can only definitely say that they’re more generous with the food. I don’t know if it’s better tasting.”

Connor explained that the long line at Grab-n-Go is something of an inevitability at certain times of the day. “Grab-n-Go is very much like Val in that there is always a line when we open and when classes change,” he said. “This issue is inevitable when a large volume of Mammoths descend on such a small location.”

Connor said he hopes “everyone understands that there is also a learning curve for the new team members to get to know the operation, the menu, and each of you. The last new members of the Grab-n-Go staff are starting this week, which will also help decrease wait times.”