If you were a student at the University of La Verne prior to the 2018-2019 school year, you might have sat down at this 5-star restaurant chain known as Davenport (or referred to as DP). It was a solid source of a wide variety of meals for all walks of life. Not only did it have the best of options for food, but it had the greatest service you’ll ever see at the University of La Verne (@ Financial Aid). Now we have this second-hand “The Spot” to replace what we were blessed with before. The Spot is like the wed-lock baby that the University of La Verne needs to keep under its wing so that it doesn’t have to worry about alimony. Sure, The Spot may have small upgrades (like the fact that it was just built), but nothing compares to what Davenport was while it was still around.
Image Credit: Vantage Technology Consulting Group
Taking a little stroll down memory lane to compare our most recent addition to La Verne and the infamous Davenport, let’s consider the differences.
- Davenport had some amazing staff that worked with actual smiles on their faces. The Spot can’t even compete. Once you walk into The Spot, you’re greeted by a student (which is nice!) but the rest is all just you picking the food you want, then sitting to eat. If this was DP, the entire time you’re picking food, there is someone there that you can chat with or give your order to. The Spot doesn’t allow for you to converse with the chef who is making the food behind glass right in front of you. Instead, the food from the grill is already made and the cook is just waiting for it to run low or for special requests. Human interaction was great.
- The Spot grill ordering is a lot more complicated then it needs to be. At DP, you walk up, face-to-face with the cook behind the grill, and place your order. It’s nice because he would always know how many orders to make, understanding his own pace for grilling food. When you want to order from The Spot, you have to check off a stupid checklist paper, sometimes still having to explain your order to the cook on the grill. It’s a little excessive. What’s worse is that The Spot even had the audacity to remove the Daily Special that DP would offer, making it consistently boring.
- Y’all remember the “Global” station? If you don’t, let me tell you! Davenport had a section between the grill and main course that was dedicated to having a mix of entrees that changed every day. The Global station offered items like hand-tossed wings, Pasta Wednesdays, Taco Tuesdays (where you still have the option to get something different from the tacos), short ribs, and legit steak. If you were lucky, you might have even visited DP when they served actual sushi! Maybe you’re thinking “well The Spot has a pizza section, a waffle maker, and a salad bar,” but DP had that too. That’s the tea sis.
- And you know what’s really missing from The Spot? The PANINI PRESS! You could actually make your own tuna melts, grilled cheeses, and actual paninis! ‘nuff said.
- The Spot may look like it has so much space, but now there is less space outside compared to DP and it’s enormous options for seating. Not only could you sit outside, but if it was too cold for you outside, you could put on the outdoor heaters! The Spot’s outdoor seating barely has any even coverage from the sun…
If that isn’t enough for you to realize the huge downgrade the University has put us through, then feel free to ask students who have to eat there because it’s too expensive to eat elsewhere. Don’t mistake the number of people eating inside for the number of people who enjoy eating there; if you want to know how people feel, actually ask and they will tell.
Also, don’t come after me for writing this article. I’m merely relaying multiple peoples’ thoughts on The Spot in comparison to Davenport. If you like The Spot, kudos to you!
If you agree with my point of view, share this article so others can see it too!