Located on the first floor of Bartley Hall, the Curley Exchange is widely regarded as Villanova’s best dining station. While the Exchange has both hot and grab-and-go items, students primarily gravitate toward the made-to-order sandwich station. With Wall Street inspired names such as “The Opening Bell” and “The Fortune 500,” sandwiches from the Exchange truly embody the Bartley experience.
While Bartley chiefly houses students from the Villanova School of Business (VSB), the Exchange attracts students from all departments. As such, lines tend to be out the door. To diminish lengthy wait times, the Exchange has a very specific ordering process. First, for easy identification, workers prompt students for their initials. Students can then request a pre-listed sandwich, modify existing options or build a new variation. Rather than being prepared from start to finish, sandwiches are made whilst new orders arrive. Thus, students must wait for their initials to be called before ultimately picking up their lunch.
While perhaps confusing to first-timers, this process has become a science for many. The University also offers a meal plan add-on dubbed “The Exchange Upgrade,” which provides additional MPEs. For students with the upgrade (or Bartley regulars), the Exchange operates as a well-oiled machine.
However, the University recently announced that the Exchange would now exclusively operate via GrubHub. Going forward, students must forgo the aforementioned process and use an app to order ahead.
Many students felt annoyed by the sudden change to the established system. Not only does the new process take longer, but the use of an app seems like an unnecessary middleman.
“I don’t like that now in peak hours, it takes 30 minutes to get your food,” freshman VSB student Allie Jones said. “It also makes it easier for the workers to mess up orders since you can’t ask for modifications in real time.”
The change likely ensued as a result of the success of Cafe Nova (Cova), another dining station that also utilizes GrubHub. In addition to the app, Cova also offers kiosks for students to order directly in the building. This system is more warranted. Located in the middle of campus, Cova is easily walkable to pick up lunch to eat elsewhere. However, this practice is not in line with the culture of Bartley.
Bartley is the quintessential culmination of VSB students. While open to everyone, the archetype of an Exchange goer is someone who does homework, goes to class and socializes in that one building. For many, going to the Exchange is not meant to be an impersonal and faceless experience. The use of an app prohibits having conversations in line or catching up with friends, which are experiences that many students value.
Still, this culture is intimidating to some. Non-VSB students might like the switch to GrubHub because of its impersonality, not in spite of it. For those who want an Exchange sandwich without having to endure the daunting process, ordering ahead is preferable.
“I think it’s pretty convenient and eliminates the stress of waiting in the huge line,” CLAS student Sophia Lutzker said.
“I think GrubHub is fast and easy,” CLAS student Dianna Regan said. “I can get in and out pretty quickly if I’m busy doing work and don’t have time to stand and wait.”
As a CLAS student, I can understand the appeal of ordering ahead. However, I still love the small moments of socialization that always ensued in the Exchange. Not only do I miss talking to other students while I wait, but also the workers themselves. Furthermore, the additional step of using GrubHub becomes quite tedious, especially if I am already in the building.
The Exchange still makes the best sandwiches on campus. I love the variety, especially in comparison to other similarly-located dining stations. Still, I hope GrubHub isn’t here to stay.
