Photo Courtesy of Creative Commons.
Due to negative feedback from students, Smashburger will be removed and Hofstra USA (HofUSA) will return to the north side of campus this fall.
“As much as I love Smashburger, I liked Hofstra USA a lot more because there was so much variety. I feel like I come here so often I keep getting the same thing over and over again,” said Harrison Grubb, a junior journalism major.
Grubb frequents Smashburger due to its convenient location. “I live in Colonial Square so it’s really close and really convenient for me to come here a lot,” he said.
In addition to the eatery’s location, students also praise the late hours that Smashburger is open. Lily Chiagozie, a junior business major said, “I work from 12-4 a.m. and Smashburger is the only thing open when I need to eat.” Chiagozie believes that the problem with Smashburger is the limited menu.
The Resident District Manager of Compass Group Richard Maha believes that menu fatigue is the reason students are gravitating away from Smashburger.
“What we’ve heard over the last semester and what we’ve seen is overwhelming student feedback that they miss the varied menu,” Maha said. “It’s the one late night option that we have … and that is the challenge with a franchise. A lot of people really enjoy franchises, but you have to realize that you have to go with their menu.”
Since the opening in September, there has been a gradual decline in patronage. Maha explained that Compass Group and Hofstra utilize student feedback to determine what changes need to be made on campus. “We saw the participation was high at first and then you monitor it and then we talk to students,” he said. “The school made the decision that it would be best, listening to the student population, to bring more of a casual dining wide menu back to that side of campus.”
The menu for HofUSA’s reopening has not been finalized, but the new eatery aims to provide students with a place to gather and hang out. The old HofUSA menu had many diner-style food options that students favored. Although many students were excited for Smashburger to open, students miss the original HofUSA.
“I think the biggest thing is that it was such an unpopular decision to get rid of Hofstra USA in the first place because it was such a popular place to hang out for students,” said Grubb. Grubb also emphasized that Smashburger is rather expensive, driving many students away from the burger joint.
The news was announced to students during a Student Government Association (SGA) meeting earlier this month. Campus Dining and Compass Group work closely with members of SGA and Student Affairs to ensure that the needs and desires of students are met.
Abby Normandin, a junior public policy and global studies major and the vice president of SGA, feels that it is important for students to voice their opinions. “Students with an opinion on the future of HofUSA should come to our senate meetings, use the Dine On Campus App to voice concerns or suggestions,” Normandin said. “I think they truly want to establish food vendors on campus that hold options for every student. A huge part of feeling at home on campus is feeling comfortable finding food on campus.”
