New coffee stand brewing in De Neve Plaza

Rushing through De Neve Plaza on the way to class, students may
miss the chance to buy that dose of caffeine that will keep them
awake ““ because they may not know there is a coffee stand
nearby.

The new coffee stand, recently opened by UCLA Dining Services,
provides brewed and iced coffee as well as pastries. It operates
Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Prices for most items equal those of the coffee shops on campus,
and some are even lower. Students can either pay cash or use their
BruinCard EasyPay accounts.

Dining services employees have been passing out samples to
attract students’ attention.

“Students are pretty open to samples because they are
free,” said Tausha Hunter, a Dining Services employee who
works at the stand.

Yet, even at the peak morning hours when students walk to class
the stand seems deserted. Dining Services staff working at the
stand spend time cleaning and talking to each other when there
aren’t any customers.

During a 40-minute period one morning, only three people got
coffee.

“Most people don’t know what it is,” said
Steven Frankel, another employee who works at the stand. “But
it gets better every day.”

When asked about the stand, many students confusedly stare
towards De Neve dining hall and decline to comment.

“I don’t really know what it is,” said
Giusseppe Paras, a third-year psychology student, while passing by
the stand’s advertisement sign in De Neve Plaza.

There seem to be other reasons for the lack of customers.

Students who live in the dorms can get food and coffee with
their meal plans at the dining halls, while students who live in
the apartments can simply eat at home.

“I have never bought anything at the stand because it is
easier to swipe in the dining hall,” said Sheila Vand, a
first-year theater student.

Other students who have meal plans mentioned that spending money
at the stand doesn’t make sense if they can get a meal at the
dining hall. 

The most popular drink, so far, is mocha latte, and blueberry
muffins rank top among the pastries, Hunter said.

Those students that buy something at the stand seem to be
content.

A pop-out window similar to the current stand was in the
original plan for De Neve Plaza, said Connie Foster, associate
director Dining Services. But, at the time of the construction, the
window was not put in place due to a lack of funds.

“There is quite a traffic flow (in De Neve Plaza). Not
everyone can come into the dining hall,” Foster said, adding
that students may find the stand convenient.

The stand is targeting both students who live in the dorms and
those who live in apartments in Westwood.

There are also plans to place seating, which should be completed
by the beginning of fall quarter in September, next to the
stand.

Dining Services is in the process of replacing the coffee that
the stand is currently selling with coffee from the Coffee Bean and
Tea Leaf.

“We went through a process of selection. Right now we are
working out details,” Foster said.

Profits and losses from the stand will fall under the budget for
the UCLA Housing and Dining Services, said Charles Wilcots,
director of Dining Services information.