Hungry? Most University students would have a definite “yes”response to that question. Thus, eating out is a common occurrencein the daily lives of students. Fortunately for local eateries,their business greatly increases as the summer months fade away andthe fall semester begins.
Izzo’s Illegal Burrito on Burbank Drive, greatly increases theirstaff in order to account for the increased business in thefall.
“Business basically doubles when the semester begins,” WillReich, Izzo’s general manager, said.
Izzo’s hours do not change when the semester begins. AlthoughReich said that if business increases near closing time, they willstay open later to accommodate customers.
Another popular eatery, Serrano’s Salsa Co., located at theNorth Gates of campus, said they increase their staffingapproximately 15 percent when the fall semester begins. Therestaurant also sees an increase in revenue during the schoolyear.
“Our revenues typically increase 40 percent at the beginning ofthe fall semester,” said Sean Malone, Serrano’s co-owner.
Malone also said that as a result of increased business,Serrano’s gradually increases inventory from the last few weeks inAugust through the first week in September.
The Chimes, next door to Serrano’s, experienced an above-averagesummer in terms of business and profits, said a Chimesrepresentative. This will increase at the beginning of the fallsemester. In order to prepare for the increase in business, therepresentative said they will hire a few more staff members andwill increase the number of shifts employees work each week. TheChimes will also place inventory orders more frequently and willincrease the volume of their orders.
Only a few steps down from The Chimes is one of Universitystudents’ favorite fast food eateries.
Raising Cane’s employee numbers also increase at the beginningof the fall semester.
“We usually cut down about 25 percent during the summer, butwhen the fall rolls around our staffing will be much higher than inthe summer,” said Wayne Shelton, former general manager of theHighland Road Raising Cane’s.
During the summer months Raising Cane’s on Highland Road employs25 people compared to 35 during the fall semester. This is due totheir customer numbers increasing from 543 per day during thesummer to 763 during the fall. As a result, revenue increases 42percent and inventory is raised 57 percent, said Robert Daigrepont,treasurer and vice president of financial reporting for Cane’s.
Many of Cane’s staff members at both the Highland Road and LeeDrive locations transfer to locations closer to their homes inHouma, Harvey, Lake Charles and Lafayette during the summer. Theyare put on a leave of absence from the Baton Rouge stores and thustheir jobs are available when they return for the fall semester,said Devin Budnick, senior manager of crew resources.
Though almost all restaurants near campus face an increase inbusiness when the fall semester begins, it does not compare to thesubstantial business done on all LSU football game days.
“On a typical game day business increases four to five timesfrom a non-game day,” Malone said.
Budnick said that Cane’s greatly increases their staff at boththe Highland and Lee locations to accommodate increased business ongame days.