What is it like dining on campus at Monroe College?
Gaddy Hall Cafe
I first started Monroe College in the fall of 2015, I was placed in Gaddy Hall, with all of the other freshmans. Due to the fact that I was in the dorms, I was automatically placed on the Gold Meal Plan. With the Gold Meal Plan, students were given two or more swipes per meal (breakfast, lunch and dinner), now students are given only one swipe per meal. At the time, the cafeteria was in the Monroe Athletic Complex (the MAC). We had unlimited swipes and the food selection was amazing. The taste of the food was even better. Now, since the cafeteria moved in Gaddy, students are only given one swipe per meal and there is only a selection of things that you can get. The food in the cafeteria is absolutely horrible, I personally feel that is a shame that they are allowed to serve the food that they do to people- especially students. There have been many students who stated that the cafeteria food made them sick. I myself have had an experience in which I got sick from the cafeteria's food. There are some days when cafeteria food is half way decent, however, it does not make up for the other times. Many students who have classes in the Bronx campus can attest that the food at the cafeteria in the Bronx is ten times better than food at the New Rochelle campus. A few of the chefs at the Bronx campus were transferred there from the New Rochelle campus, so why is it that the food is better if it's the same people?
Mustang Bucks are NOT ENOUGH!!
Mustang Bucks are money that's placed on to the student account and allows us to spend without actually paying. Similar to a debit card, the money is placed on to the school account at the beginning of the semester. The money is attached to the ID card so instead of paying with cash or a regular debit card, we can use our ID at select restaurants in the immediate area that take Mustang bucks. Originally, when I first started Monroe in 2015, we were given $150 Mustang Bucks and that usually last the whole semester. In the fall of 2016, the amount of Mustang Bucks changed from $150 to $100 inside the cafeteria and $50 outside at the various restaurants. The amount of Mustang Bucks that we receive now is not enough due to the fact that $50 goes by very quickly, when the total of the outside food is usually $7.00 or more. Therefore, it is not sufficient to last students the whole semester. In my opinion, the inside Mustang Bucks are useless, due to the fact that no one enjoys eating in the cafeteria, but in an effort to make a profit, Monroe began selling more stuff in which we can pay for with Mustang Bucks. Many students found the Mustang Bucks to be very convenient because whenever the cafeteria was serving food that was not appeasing, purchasing food outside was still an option. Also, it was convenient for late night snacks, especially because the cafe closes at 8 through the week and 7 on weekend. Now because the amount is so limited, most students get through $50 within a month. The amount of Mustang Bucks that students are given is not enough to suffice the whole semester.