Students dining on campus have one more weekend dining option, as the Outtakes at the 459 Commons is now open Sundays from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. David Heidke, LSU Dining director, said student feedback led to the decision to open Outtakes — a convenience store featuring Taco Bell and Papa John’s — Sunday evenings. “We wanted to experiment with it for the fall semester,” Heidke said. “We’ve done it for one Sunday, and it seems to be doing pretty well.” Outtakes wasn’t previously open on weekends because weekend business “was not there” until meal transfers were offered at the Student Union, Heidke said. Meal transfers allow a student to swap a dining hall meal with a combo at select LSU Dining locations without the deduction of Paw Points.”On Sunday night, students are just getting back to campus,” Heidke said. “We’re trying to pick up that later Sunday crowd [with Outtakes’ Sunday hours].” Outtakes earned about $3,000 the first Sunday it was open, compared to a daily average of more than $5,000, and Heidke said business could improve as students become more aware of Outtakes’ new weekend hours. “We have a good shot because of the day and time it’s open,” Heidke said. Outtakes will eventually open for the entire weekend when the Tiger Lair Food Court in the Student Union closes for renovations. Another Outtakes location at The 5 — the University’s newest dining hall planned to open spring 2010 — will also be open weekends when Tiger Lair closes for renovations, Heidke said.Weekend meals are currently served at Tiger Lair beginning at 4:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturday and Sunday until 6:30 p.m. Late-night meal transfers are also offered at Einstein Bros. Bagels from 6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.
Brittney Perrodin, biological sciences sophomore, said there used to not be any dining options for students on Sunday evenings.”It’s useful,” Perrodin said. “The Union closes so early, and then there’s no place else to eat.”–Contact Brianna Paciorka at [email protected]