Return of Taco Bell rings in the new school year

Taco Bell is back.

After almost a year off campus, the Cooperage reintroduced the
popular eatery Sept. 19, just over a week before the start of fall
quarter.

The return of Taco Bell comes as the first of a series of
upgrades scheduled for Associated Students UCLA restaurants over
the next few years, said Cindy Bolton, one of UCLA’s Foods
Service directors.

“This is the first wave. We want to invigorate our
restaurants,” Bolton said.

With more people living on campus, ASUCLA anticipates a decline
in business at restaurants in the student union and plans to change
its services to compensate.

“As the residence halls continue to grow with more beds,
our customer base at the Cooperage gets smaller. We plan to
consolidate and grow more efficient,” Bolton said.

Taco Bell was originally located in Campus Corner, but in
October 2004, the ASUCLA board of directors voted to end their
contract with the eatery.

The vote ended a yearlong debate over Taco Bell’s
involvement with tomato suppliers who allegedly committed labor
abuses against pickers in the Immokalee region of Florida. ASUCLA
renegotiated a new contract with Taco Bell and announced plans to
relocate the eatery to the Cooperage after the chain reached an
agreement with workers.

The emphasis and the focus of ASUCLA Food Services this year is
on the Cooperage and Ackerman, Bolton said.

Changes include the addition of the Taco Bell at the old
location of Coop Pizza, and the move of Athena’s and
Shorty’s Subs from Campus Corner to the Cooperage.

The new construction will also bring change to the Campus
Corner, located on Bruin Walk adjacent to the Student Activities
Center.

Bolton said there is no immediate plan to replace Campus Corner
with any new eatery, but that ASUCLA will maintain a presence there
and offer the opportunity to grab a quick snack between
classes.

“We’re looking at offering a cart at Campus Corner
for peak hours once the lot construction is through, providing
beverages and light snacks as a convenient stop to grab something
quick,” Bolton said.

Hoping to get a sense of what the students prefer as a
replacement at the Campus Corner, Bolton said that the first few
months of the fall quarter will be a time of observation.

“For the Campus Corner we will try to see the student
traffic patterns and gauge how the campus reacts to the
change,” Bolton said.

But regardless of what they decide to do, ASUCLA plans to open
some type of eatery at the location.

It is really about the best use of the space and what would best
serve the students,” Bolton said.

Food Services, now moving on from these changes, is looking at
the long term, Bolton said.

They are currently working on introducing a Jamba Juice lounge
where the X-Cape Arcade currently stands, which they hope to open
either winter or spring quarter of 2006, and a Whole Foods bar
providing salads, fruit and other health food items.

The Jamba Juice and Whole Foods construction venture, with an
estimated cost of about $20,000, will be funded by the income
generated by the SAFE referendum, which was a fee increase passed
by the student body during the 2004 student government
elections.

Improvement plans for next year also include opening a cafe in
the center of the Eli Broad Arts building, which Food Service would
like to have ready for fall 2006, Bolton said.

“With this master plan we hope to update some of these
areas, add some energy, and create a greater social space for the
students,” Bolton said.

Students who supported Taco Bell’s return as well as the
campaign to support proper labor practices, look forward to the
return.

“I’m glad to see that Taco Bell is able to return
after changing some of their practices,” said Lena Khan, a
fourth-year political science and film student.

ASUCLA officials are optimistic about the developments taking
place in the student union during the next year.

“We’re very excited. I’m very pleased with how
everything has worked out. The construction workers did a great
job, and having Taco Bell back on campus is going to be
great,” Bolton said.