As journalism students, every school day we find ourselves at the SSPA Building and our only option for food is at The Outpost. Needless to say, we have tried everything on the menu.
The lack of variety of food offered at The Outpost has been frustrating. The fast food-esque menu is neither satisfying nor nutritious. We wish the Outpost had more healthy food such as salads. Pre-made salads are offered in the refrigerator section, but aren’t the most appealing.
The same could be said about the pre-made sandwiches also. The lunch and dinner items consist of mainly greasy food, such as: hamburgers, tuna melts, grilled cheese and grilled ham and cheese. We would like to see an expansion of the menu to cater to more health conscious options.
Another issue about The Outpost is the lack of organization regarding purchase lines, food pick-up and the replenishment of food items. In our experience, there have been many occasions when we’ve been unable to buy food because of the long lines that snake out the back door. Even though there are three cash registers, sometimes only one will be open for use, which causes a traffic jam within the tiny confines of The Outpost.
Amber recalls a time when The Outpost was very disorganized. She was at the front of a long line and went to make a purchase with her ATM/debit card, only to find out they only accepted cash. She was sent to another line, which was just as long as the one she had previously waited in. The extra line cost her 10 minutes of her break and made her late to her next class.
A sign could have been placed at the register simply stating “cash only.” After Amber ordered, there wasn’t a clear direction as to which side of the kitchen to pick up the food. The confusion, mixed with the abundance of people, caused her to look for her food at both windows several times.
Jonathan also has had bad experiences there. One time, when he went to buy coffee, all of the coffee pots were completely empty. He came back time-after-time throughout the day, but the coffee pots remained unfilled. As students, we expect more from an eatery at CSULB, where other food establishments on campus come through every time.
However, there are positive features about The Outpost. For example, it is very convenient to students who are on lower campus, and people who park in and around the new parking structure in Lot 11. Offering Scantrons and other school materials makes it really easy for students to get what they need without walking to the University Bookstore.
All day, tables are available for students to study in a shaded, calm environment outside The Outpost. Without this restaurant, students would have no place to eat in all of lower campus. Therefore, The Outpost is important to our campus; it just needs refurbishing.
We think The Outpost could be improved in numerous ways.
First, we would make the size substantially bigger to accommodate the heavy flow of students. That way, no student would be without a studying table.
Second, we would hire more staff to work all the available cash registers, which would decrease the lines that creep out the door.
Lastly, we would develop the menu by incorporating healthy food items, such as dinner salads, hummus and tofu. By doing this, it will increase the food selection and bring in more customers.
Hopefully some of our ideas will be used in the renovation of The Outpost, which is now under way. The Outpost isn’t being used to its fullest potential, and that is why it is so essential to begin reconstruction soon.
Amber Sterling and Jonathan Fisher are senior journalism majors.
