This semester, both returning and new University of Wisconsin-Superior students were introduced to the sparkling new Yellowjacket Union and its Union Café.

However, students have also found some frustration with the new “caf” already: large crowds and sometimes even a lack of seating at peak times, including reports of students being forced to stand and eat because they have nowhere to sit.

Director of dining services at UWS, Dave Turska, says that he has not seen any students forced to stand, but notes that about 16 seats have been added since the Yellowjacket Union opened, and that there have been discussions about adding additional seating.

“The new cafeteria is smaller than the cafeteria at Rothwell Student Center by about 50 [seating places],” said Turska.

Director of the Yellowjacket Union Gail Archambault said that there are approximately 210 seats in the Union Café and 565 students on meal plans.

“We will never be able to accommodate everyone [on the meal plan] at any one time, and we never have been able to,” said Archambault.

 Regardless, she says she doesn’t expect this level of crowding in the cafeteria to last very long.

“There’s always a rush at the beginning of the semester while students are getting their schedules figured out,” she said, and added that the heaviest levels of crowds happen between 11:50 AM and 12:20 PM.

“Very few classes are offered at noon on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays,” said Archambault. She also stated that she believed the lack of noon classes on those days added to the crowds. The director added that during peak times, only large groups of three or more should sit in the booths, and smaller parties should sit elsewhere; she believes that this will generate more open seats.

However, some UWS students still aren’t satisfied with the seating in the Union Café.

“I wish there were more large round tables in the cafeteria,” said freshman Dylan Kildow.

On the other hand however, some UWS students resigned themselves to the fact that the crowds will just have to be something to be dealt with.

“You can’t really tell people what time they can eat at, and I would be upset if they set time limits on how long we can stay and eat,” said freshman Eric Klinka.