On either side of Covel Commons courtyard, a seeming battle for customers commences.
In one corner stands the novel new restaurant teeming with carbohydrate-filled sandwiches and Italian-themed salads.
In the other stands the seasoned veteran, introducing a new menu of soups and salads and pitching for loyal customers.
Within the past two months, Bruin Café has added a new soup rotation that features a different soup every day, while retaining its standard minestrone soup and clam chowder. The menu also offers a new Greek-style beef sandwich and a spring salad with fruits.
Although many students said they believed the changes to the Bruin Café menu are a direct result of Café 1919’s popularity, Calvin Farr, dining area manager for Covel Commons, said all of the changes at Bruin Café were long in the making.
“It takes us a while to roll out anything new on the menu, so when you see new items, it’s after we’ve already worked on them for a very long time,” Farr said. “It’s simply coincidental that (Bruin Café) added so many new items right now.”
While the changes may have been coincidental, former Bruin Café principal manager and current principal manager of Café 1919 Jeff Berman, said the menu has been “stagnant” for a long time, and that the changes were overdue.
“It’s comfort food at (Bruin Café), food that people know and are used to, but they added some changes, and that’s good,” Berman said.
Some students said the new changes make them more likely to go to Bruin Café.
“The new menu definitely draws me in,” said Andy Chen, a second-year microbiology, immunology, and molecular genetics student. “It’s refreshing to have new things, and the sandwiches were getting boring.”
Changes for the future include the addition of a vegan barbecue sandwich that students have been requesting, Farr said.
“There are a lot of options that involve meat at Bruin Café, but we have recognized that there are vegetarian and vegan individuals on campus that we need to cater to, and we can meet their dietary needs,” he said.
When Café 1919 debuted, the line of students would stretch down the wall of Delta Terrace. But now the numbers are starting to level out between the two restaurants located in the center of the Hill, said Bruin Café principal manager Bruce Pearson.
Berman attributes the leveling customers to both the decreased novelty of Café 1919 and to the increased efficiency of its workers.
“It was a learning curve for us,” Berman said. “We’re more efficient and professional now, and it makes a difference.”
Students also said they are more inclined to go to Bruin Café because the line there is usually not as long.
“At first I would go to 1919, but then I got over it, and (Bruin Café) is healthier, and the line is shorter,” said Lorena Garay, a third-year psychology student.
Rather than reducing the numbers of Bruin Café visitors, Café 1919 has staggered the times that most students go to the older restaurant, Berman said.
“Basically, when 1919 is open, students go here, but when it’s closed, they definitely go to BCafé, so it’s only changed the flow of guests,” Berman said.
Although both restaurants sell similar items ““ sandwiches and salads ““ corporate chef Roger Pigozzi said there are many different customer bases to draw from so as not to adversely affect either restaurant.
“One of the amazing things is that when we introduced the Häagen-Dazs to Bruin Café, the gelato sales at 1919 did not go down,” Pigozzi said. “That means we found a whole new customer base that loves ice cream.”
The new options are part of UCLA Dining Services’ goal to cater to students’ needs and desires, Farr said.
“Basically, we are just continuing to move forward to provide as many options as we can for the students,” Farr said. “We don’t want them to eat somewhere because they have to; rather, we want them to eat there because they want to eat there.”