New dining choices to come to campus

Those seeking "real food" on campus will be pleased with changes to the Penn dining scene this fall.On Monday, Dining Services announced that Starbucks Coffee will be opening a location on the middle floor of 1920 Commons, located at 3800 Locust Walk. It will not displace any venue currently open in the building.Items from Philadelphia sandwich shop Tony Luke?s will also be added to the menu at Triangle Diner -- located at 3716 Spruce St. -- which will most likely get a new, as-yet-unknown name. While no definite date has been set for either opening, both additions are expected this fall, with Tony Luke?s going on the Triangle Diner menu before the Starbucks logo graces Locust Walk, Business Services spokeswoman Rhea Lewis said. Dining Services is an arm of Business Services.Regarding why these businesses were selected to appear on campus, Lewis said, "There is always student input and customer input in all these decisions."Lewis added that surveys have shown that customers are interested in seeing more national chains, including Starbucks, as well as local fare like Tony Luke?s. Laurie Cousart, contract manager for Dining Services, added that consumer surveys, which are given to members of the University community several times a year, generate several thousand responses. Lewis said that the nature of the retail additions led to cooperation between Dining and Facilities Services, adding that "both groups stay abreast of what the other's plans are" and "work together as much as possible."Facilities Services takes responsibility for determining the direction of retail in off-campus locations, such as along 40th Street. Cousart said that while a Starbucks is already established on campus, at 34th and Walnut streets, the distance between that location and 1920 Commons and the fact that "customers travel along certain paths" on their way to class and around campu both justify the creation of another Starbucks.Cousart added that she expects the new coffee shop to cater more to residents of Superblock, as well as those living off-campus. It will be possible to use Dining Dollars at both locations.