Starbucks hours cater to students

Anne Walkup, Staff writer

Students accustomed to camping out in Starbucks until late at night are now being ushered out its doors, sometimes as early as 5:30 p.m.

The stragglers who used to slip into Dillin Hall just before its 8:00 p.m. closing time now must arrive by 7:30 if they don’t want to miss their dinner.

The change in hours for both Dillin and Starbucks began this spring term.

Bill Masullo, the Manager of Linfield Dining Services, said he had to make the decision to limit hours based on the amount of traffic Starbucks and Dillin have been receiving lately.

“One word: metrics,” Masullo said regarding his reasoning.

He said he’d noticed a decline in activity in both Dillin and Starbucks during the evenings.

“Between 7:30 and 8:00 nobody really comes in,” he said of Dillin Hall.

Although Masullo said he hasn’t heard any direct feedback from students, he has heard some grumblings and complaints regarding the earlier closing times.

However, he said that these reduced hours shouldn’t restrict students’ access to food on campus.

He explained that many students don’t know that Dining Services can pre-make meals for those who are unable to eat during Dillin’s or Starbucks’ hours.

“When the basketball team had practices, we made a bunch of pizzas for them,” Masullo said.

He also said that it’s not uncommon for Dillin’s and Starbucks’ hours to change a little every term.

“We live and die by the class registrar,” Masullo stated.

Masullo said that Dillin’s and Starbucks’ hours are truly dictated by the students. In order to best determine how to cater to them, Masullo said that “[Dining Services] meets with ASLC a couple times a year.”