Eat Central has reopened to serve the students with wider menu options and new interiors.
The largest food outlet on campus, Eat Central, closed down in March of this year to undergo necessary renovation work required by its contract with the catering service provider. The project, originally set for completion by June, experienced a three-month delay and was finished less than a week before the term began.
On Campus for Lunch?
The new Eat Central features five food kiosks and one dessert stall, selected based on a series of extensive survey. £2 meal deal has been rebranded into the Sussex Saver menu, and it now offers two options, which change daily. Healthier options of warm salad with protein of choice are available from the Farmer’s Choice. Blue Kiosk brings out different menus every day, mainly consisting of deep-fried dishes such as fish and chips. Bamboo serves Japanese-styled rice or noodle bowls, namely chicken katsu curry. Change Please Coffee was relocated to Eat Central from the Student Centre, with a new ice cream trolley alongside its iconic three-wheeled coffee truck.
To cater to students staying on campus late, opening hours were extended to 9 PM on weekdays. Before this, limited dining options and higher prices at Falmer Bar or Northfield Bar, with smaller seating capacity, made late-night meals challenging. This extension is expected to improve on-campus experiences, especially during busy assessment periods.
What do Students Think?
The Badger team interviewed students and staff members across the campus, both familiar with the canteen since before the revamp and new to the university.
To watch the student opinions on our YouTube, click here!
When asked about the most significant upgrade, most interviewees answered the increased diversity of the food menu. One interviewee noted that this would be especially “appealing to international students”.
While the renovation has been well-received by some, quite a few students have expressed concerns about the reduced seating capacity and difficulty in finding empty tables, especially for groups. Additionally, opinions on the price range vary, with some students finding the Sussex Saver menu affordable but others questioning the pricing of other options.
The new Eat Central also features TV screens, which received mixed reactions. One suggested that these monitors could be allocated to older buildings lacking such equipment. Another comment focused on the content being played on the TVs, saying that news or educational videos would be more appropriate than potentially distracting music videos.
Overall, the brand new Eat Central has brought a much-needed boost to campus dining options. There are, however, still areas where improvements can be made to ensure a more satisfying experience for all students.