Coffee, donuts win out over tacos

By Brenna Trimble

As students navigate campus this week, they’ll notice the one and only location to satiate their Mexican food cravings is no more. TacoTime, home of the ever-popular mexi fries and Taco Tuesdays, is closed for business in MacEwan Students’ Centre.

The now empty venue is being renovated and will open Sept. 15 as the food court’s second Tim Hortons. Despite being only one business apart, the university is confident that both locations will be successful.

“The No. 1 concern/complaint of the campus community has been the Tim Hortons line,” said Food and Conference Services director Joel Lynn, when asked if he thought the trade would benefit students. “They [Tim Hortons] are very successful on campus.”

“TacoTime is a brand that is not doing as well on the market place,” said Lynn. “The responsibility of food services is to maximize revenue and respond to key campus needs.”

According to Students’ Union vice-president operations and finance Joey Brocke, the former TacoTime location is one of three venues in the food court controlled by the university and not the SU. Brocke said the university was looking for a more profitable vendor to fill the space.

Employer Services co-ordinator Munira Hirji said she was looking forward to the much-needed change.

“Students spend more time in the Tim Hortons line-ups than classes, so having a second [Mac Hall location] is fabulous.”

Although staff and students account for the majority of customers for on campus food vendors, they were not consulted about the switch.

“The change is positive, but the students should have been consulted– it’s for them,” Hirji said.

However, third-year biological sciences student Balreet Dhami said she’s not concerned about the swap, noting the added location will make her early morning coffee runs easier.

“I am looking forward to shorter lines,” said first-year fine arts student Becky Radermacher as she waited for her favourite Tim Hortons menu item, a “Triple Chocolate” cookie.

The campus Tims count will remain at three, as the location in Science B is closed. No new vendor has been announced.





Update: Opening will likely be delayed until Sept. 25.