Ferris State has two all-you-can-eat buffet style cafeterias on campus, The Rock Café adjacent to the south quad and The Quad Café in the University Center.
If you are on campus and want to use your unlimited food plan or subtract one swipe from your pool of food passes, which café do you choose?
Although very similar in form, the two cafés do have several differences.
The Rock is the older of the two establishments. The current Rock building has been on campus for eight years and the building is not its first. The Quad opened in the fall of 2014, during the grand opening of the new University Center.
The Rock is open to students 7 a.m. to midnight seven days of the week, besides holidays. The Quad is open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday, and only 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekends.
Ferris criminal Justice senior Lance Faulk, a dining room attendant at the Rock has been on staff for four years and would like to see some changes to its menu.
“Do something different, I mean, it’s been basically the same food since I’ve gotten here,” Faulk said.
Faulk also added that he thinks the omelet station should be open late at night.
The Quad, while newer, has different food stations to offer compared to the Rock.
Ferris information security and intelligence junior Brandon Swanson said: “The Quad is more diverse than the Rock. You can get a variety of Mexican and Chinese food options everyday, and now ramen noodle bowls at Pastabilities.”
While the UC does have those stations, the Rock offers Mongolian style stir-fry where any dish of food can be made and a Wok Station.
One station at the Rock that is unmatched at the Quad is the Specialty Sandwiches and Entrée Salad station in the center island.
Ferris graphic media manager senior Ariel Leaym and student manager at the Rock said: “I like the island station during lunch. They have this sandwich that has apple butter, spinach, turkey and Muenster cheese and it is really good.”
While discussing which café has better pasta, Ferris music industry management senior Emily Seng chose the Quad.
“Pasta UC. They always have ravioli, and I love ravioli!” Seng said.
One specialty of the UC though is Thursday’s wing night, which used to be served at the Westside Café before it was closed due to the opening of the Quad.
“I love going to wing night,” Swanson said. “It’s a weekly tradition to go to wing night and get stuffed on wings. I will say though, the Buffalo wings sometimes served at the Rock beat wing night. The chicken comes right off of the bone.”
The busiest time of the week for both facilities is lunch on weekdays.
“The rock probably comes close to filling up during lunch time,” Leaym said.
The Quad is packed during lunchtime. Last week, after the 11:50 a.m. classes were let out, there was a line down to the staircase just to get in.
Seng agreed that the Quad is tough to find good seating during lunch hour.
“I feel like its always so packed and there are sometimes where there is no chance at finding a spot,” Seng said. “At the Rock, its always possible to find a place, especially now since the Quad is open.”
Seng also stated that service was great at both facilities.
“I generally don’t have to wait for my food,” Seng said. “Maybe during lunch at stations where meals are heated up it takes longer but never an issue.”
And the biggest question of all, which café has the better burger?
According to Swanson, the Rock and Quad burger taste mostly the same.
“I think the UC has regular burgers more frequently but sometimes I get a burger from the Rock and it’s delicious. I don’t really have a preference,” Swanson said.
The verdict: The Quad may have great food stations but the Rock is also open more regularly and offers a waffle maker.