This article is part of a head-to-head series. Read the counterargument by Brian Keim.

I will start by saying I am not the largest fan of JCU food in general. I think I have been to The Caf less than 20 times during my entire academic career of nearly 3 and a half years, including for meetings or quick catch-ups with friends (then again, meetings inside The Caf are few and far between since it costs a meal swipe just to enter). To be honest, when someone says, “let’s go get food,” my first thought is usually that we are going to pull up to Swensons for a milkshake, not walk to Schott. To be fair, I am glad that preferring The ’Tween is my initial, and often correct, assumption.

This is for two main reasons: time and limited options.

Personally, I find myself DoorDashing more often than not or muddling through The Nook for snacks in between classes. Saxby’s is also a constant on my meal plan, for its caffeine and legitimate sustenance alike. Much of this stems from convenience. When I am running from my work shift off-campus to my CH1750 course to the library to tutor communications, I feel as if there is not a spare minute where I can actually sit inside the dining hall and enjoy a meal. It is also off course from my desired final destination, whether it be the O’Malley Center or Bernet Hall.

I know this is probably my own fault, but this is also an opinion piece so I am allowed to voice complaints. As a busy college student, on-the-go food is a luxury that I quite often take advantage of. If I cannot work while I walk, I might as well chow down. The same goes for studying, as it is difficult to do homework in Schott because of its volume, which throws a wrench in my already hefty schedule.

However, not only do I have little time for The Caf, but I feel as if The Caf has little time for me. When looking at the vast array of food available in Schott Dining Hall, there are so few options that are catered to vegetarians. I understand that I am not the primary audience for the cooks, but I am left with a desert of cuisine next to an oasis for the carnivores around me.

Additionally, whenever I have asked for vegetarian (or God forbid vegan) options in Schott, I am often greeted with annoyance from the workers. It has gotten to the point where, if a dish is not overtly vegetarian, I am not even going to try and find a work around because I feel like such an inconvenience to those behind the stations. There are also rumors that the vegetarian burgers are cooked on the same grill as the meat products and that irks me. Perhaps the other gossip of pink chicken and hairs on plates has also left a bad taste in my mouth, marring the flavor of the limited options I do have.

I know I do not have a leg to stand on with the undercooked poultry debacle as I am a vegetarian, but this lack of quality makes me wary of other products The Caf serves. This controversy has left a permanent stain on Schott in my eyes and the fact that it doesn’t even care to cater to my diet is the icing on the cake.

When looking at the alternative, the renowned Inn Between, I would choose it every time. Regarding my first problem, it is so easy to place a ‘Tween order, pick it up and return to my dorm to crank out homework.

The Caf’s environment is very much for socialization and I do not see an issue with that. It is still a little difficult to study or write a paper with the hustle and bustle of campus life around you. For sheer productivity reasons, The ‘Tween grants me the ability to both nourish my body and focus on the task at hand without getting distracted by aimless side-conversations or passing acquaintances.

The second contention is where my heart truly lies on this debate. Especially with the addition of Choolaah, The Inn Between has multiple options not only for me but for others with dietary restrictions. This is especially shocking when you consider that there are only three restaurants at The ’Tween with even fewer options than The Caf based purely off of meal exchange options.

With the sheer convenience of ordering on the Get app, I also avoid those judging remarks from workers in The Caf who are troubled by my meal choices. I can get a vegetarian burger from The ‘Tween within 30 minutes while still working on an assignment for 95% of that time. I also avoid the grimaces of those I inconvenience with my diet because the food is served in a grab-and-go format.

Undoubtedly, these problems are limited to both my herbivore diet and my eternally busy peers, but these are still prevalent concerns nonetheless. Perhaps if The Caf created more dishes that I could consume and I did not feel like a bother for eating as I please, my mind could change. Until then, I am placing my Blue Streak Grill order for 7:30 p.m!