So, while I was waiting for a sandwich at The Big Onion at East Commons the other night, I started thinking about something. Maybe it's just me, but "The Big Onion" seems to be a really unattractive name for a sandwich shop. It doesn't really imply anything about the quality of the food. And then I also realized that "Good 2 Go" and "Fresh Express" are really bland and uninspired names. Not to mention that fact the logos and color schemes for all three shops seem kind of garish and ugly.
As a whole, it seems like universities don't put a whole lot of effort into designing appealing logos and names for their on-campus shops and dining areas. I noticed this both at Penn State and at other universities I visited before applying to Penn State. I'm guessing many universities just think that since students are going to be forced to eat their food anyway, why bother designing an appealing name and logo? The thing is though, if a store has an unappealing name, it's going to make the food seem less appealing by association. Maybe not consciously, but subliminally. And this subliminal association might cause students to unconsciously avoid eating at the commons if possible. I've personally noticed that I've ordered Pita Pit several times rather than just walk down to the commons. Not to mention that this whole laziness regarding design doesn't really leave a good impression on potential students about the quality of a university.
So really, it seems like universities shoud show some pride and actually try to sell their food, rather than just assume we'll eat whatever crap they give us.
While I agree that the names for the food joints around campus can be rather uninspiring I'd just wish that the University would spend more time thinking of the quality of food offered as well as the variety at each residence hall area. Living in North I can tell you that the only variety we get is the World Beat lunch; a lousy attempt at international foods that are always too cold, blend and overall pretty disgusting. And I can't believe some people that don't have a meal plan actually pay for that...
ReplyDeleteI never really noticed the names of the eateries around campus before. The Big Onion is a strange name for a pizza/sandwich place but most people seem to just call it the Big O. I agree with Felix that the quality of the food should be more improved and then they should maybe think about changing the names to more sound-appealing places to eat.
ReplyDeleteI think the names reflect the college atmosphere which exemplifies the idea of m=not having to conform with popular belief. The eateries can be named whatever, but notice how the names are so bad they stick with you? That's a pretty good business plan if I do say so myself.
ReplyDeleteI don't care about the name but they definitely need more variety and healthy options available.
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