Students looking for late-night eats on campus are in luck. During the exam season, an additional eatery will be open overnight.
Up until December 19, students studying on campus will be able to purchase freshly brewed Starbucks coffee, sandwiches, and pizza slices, as P.O.D. Express will be open until 5 a.m. Mondays through Thursdays.
York launched the pilot project after Hamoudi Hneinou, vp operations of the York Federation of Students, contacted administration and requested a food option other than vending machines be available for students studying overnight at Scott Library.
Hneinou says he developed this idea when he began hearing this concern from other students.
“With studying in the library you are very tight with food options,” says Hneinou.
Cookies and chips just don’t cut it once all other food options on campus close, he adds. While Hero Burger closes at midnight and Falafel Hut shuts down around 2 a.m., students have begun to request additional late-night food options.
The original idea was for a coffee machine to be installed in proximity to the library, but further discussion led to having P.O.D. Express open beyond its regular operating hours.
Hneinou also says that based on location, the cafe is a much better option for hungry students, who would previously have to walk towards the Tim Hortons on Keele Street for food late at night. This alternative is much safer, as students now don’t have to leave campus for food.
Anthony Barbisan, director, YU-Card, Food and Parking Services at York says while Scott Library is open 24 hours a day, five days a week, more students are choosing to study during the evening in preparations for exams. The department handles food, vending, campus services, and business operations at York.
“We want to ensure we are offering convenient services to students where they need them,” says Barbisan. “We haven’t had a late-night option before, but we are seeing an increasing demand for that.”
P.O.D. Express will also be offering late-night deals for students working and studying on campus overnight.
Michael Burton
Executive Editor (Online)
