The sultan of service. The king of Cafés. The colossus of campus cafeteria. The what? The Great Davis Café! At some point, all Davidson students visit Union’s famous Café. This fast-paced food joint serves students daily for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and late-night meals. With five diverse ticket menus, Davis Café offers prepared goods which are not always available in Commons. Follow this guide for helpful hacks, tips, and tricks so you can better navigate the Café!
1. Make sure to go to Union’s Davis Café on meal plan hours to avoid using Dining Dollars…or worse… CREDIT/CASH! Reminder: Meal plans are accepted at the Café at the following times:
- Breakfast Meal Plan: 7:30-10:45 a.m.
- Lunch Meal Plan: 11:15 a.m.-5 p.m.
- Dinner Meal Plan: 5-8 p.m.
- Late Night Meal Plan: 9-11 p.m.
2. Forks and knives and spoons! Oh my! Every once in a while, try to snag some of the free cutlery that the Café offers. These disposable utensils are great to use back in the dorm for take-home Café cereals. Protip: Recycle Café shopping bags–they make for great dorm room trash bags.
3. Need an energizing snack? Stock up on peanut butter cups, which only cost $0.50 each cup. For a quick and delicious treat at the Café, try a slice of toast with some peanut butter, banana, and honey.
4. My personal favorite hack: Microwave a Café brownie for dessert! Maybe add a little ice-cream? Protip: According to a credible ~foodie~ source, the gluten free brownies located at the register are “more fudgey” than the regular brownies, which are located in the pastry case.
5. Hungry for a healthy alternative to a hamburger? Try a grilled chicken sandwich–you can even add two pieces of chicken for $2.95 extra. Just indicate, kindly, on the Grill ticket.
6. Grab items at late-night for tomorrow’s breakfast. It is always a great idea to stock up your dorm room with Café cereals, milk, and oatmeal for on-the-go breakfasts. Grab a shopping bag and go!
7. “We get a fresh shipment of apples every morning. When we run out around lunch time, I restock with new apples,” says staff member, Rosemary, of the Café. Apples are freshest in the early morning and later lunchtime. You heard it from Rosemary herself. Replace a bag of chips or side of fries with fresh fruit (an apple or banana) for a healthier, more energizing meal. Fruit only costs $0.95. Protip: Apples and bananas go well with Café peanut butter cups!
8. At the Café, remember you have an $8.70 limit. Go over this amount, and you have to spend your Dining Dollars. To avoid this crisis, you can try some of these awe$ome combinations:
- 2 peanut butter cups + 1 banana + 1 bagel = $3.84
- 4 cereals + 3 milks = $8.50
- 6 (Non-Kashi) cereals = $8.70
- 1 whole plain pizza + 1 soda fountain drink + 1 fruit = $7.63
- 1 two-egg omelet + 1 croissant egg sandwich + 1 banana + 1 cup of water = 8.73
- 4 large coffees (for those poor souls swamped with work) = $7.96
9. Calling the grits connoisseurs of Davidson. According to my ~Southern~ roommate, the grits in Union are better than those in Commons! The Café serves delicious, piping hot grits in a cup during breakfast. If you are in a rush to get to class and have that morning grits craving, try pouring the grits onto a plate for a quick cool off. If you ask for a piece of toast, a staff member will give you a complimentary plate for your plate-o-grits.
10. Are you feeling a little sick today? Perhaps you long for the remedy of hot soup. Exciting news: Davis Café now offers an International Station Noodle Bowl. First, choose the main protein or vegetable for your soup (pulled chicken, veggies, Korean BBQ beef, or curried tofu). Then choose your broth (chicken or vegetable). Lastly, select healthy “bowl fillings” such as carrot, bean sprouts, green peas, mushrooms, radish, peppers, chickpeas, cabbage, corn, and egg. The combinations are endless!
11. Do you ever have extra $$$ left over when you check out? Next time, try to grab a pack or two of Quaker Oats Oatmeal (located next to the microwave) sold in the Café on meal plan. Oatmeal flavors include Original, Apple and Cinnamon (my personal favorite), and Maple Brown Sugar. These perfect packets only cost $0.80 each. For a quick breakfast with easy clean up back in the dorm, try your oatmeal “Davidson Outdoors Style.” Directions: Heat water in the microwave. Pour hot water directly into packet and let cook for 2-3 minutes. If you are ambitious, try to mix the original oatmeal with banana, honey, cinnamon, or walnuts.
12. Have no fear. Iced coffee is here! You just have to make it in the right way. Process: (1) Take a plastic cup and fill it with ice from the soda fountain, (2) add creamer, (3) add sugar, (4) add coffee. (5) Enjoy.
13. Looking to fit some healthy greens into your diet? Be sure to check out the vegetarian option as a side-order. You can find this option, titled Veggie du Jour, on the Deli ticket. Common options include squash medley, green beans, and broccoli.
14. Most importantly: Remember your MANNERS and KINDNESS to the staff. A simple “good morning” or “thank you” goes a long way for the amiable staff members working in Davis Café. If you are like me and get to know the staff, you will soon discover that they are awesome people who might help you out in wonderfully unexpected ways (perhaps by granting you a free apple).
Enjoy!
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