Clucksters celebrates it’s opening week in Thomas Hall. JOSHUA REICHARD / THE QUADRANGLE
Joshua Reichard Asst. A&E Editor
Last week, Manhattan University (MU) welcomed Clucksters, a grab-and-go chicken restaurant operated by Gourmet Dining, to the university dining scene. Clucksters has replaced what was once Café 1853, which has now shut down for what appears to be indefinitely. Demand is high at the new chicken restaurant, as it logged over 600 orders during the first two days that it was opened.
The Quadrangle spoke with Kevin Henriquez, the general and on-site manager of Gourmet Dining. According to Henriquez, the addition of Clucksters has been quite the change, and the restaurant has been incredibly busy.
“It’s been refreshingly busy down here in terms of the amount of students,” Henriquez said. “Before, we couldn’t [serve] more people than the amount of tables we had, so it’s good being able to put a new [higher] amount of orders in, and having the students be able to come pick it up, grab-and-go or still hang out here.”
Seeing the closure of Café 1853 when students returned from winter break may have come as a surprise to many. However, Danielle Markus, the director of marketing for Gourmet Dining explained that Clucksters is not limited to the “sit-down only” format that Café 1853 operated as; now, Clucksters allows students to have a more flexible dining experience.
“The café was really restricted to [the tables], so it’s nice that Clucksters reaches the campus and beyond,” Markus said.
Clucksters also offers more options for students to use their meal plans, as opposed to dining dollars. While Café 1853 only offered three options in terms of meal-equivalency, the entire Clucksters menu is compatible with meal swipes.
“I think this gives students more of an opportunity to use their meal plan,” Henriquez said. “Whereas previously, there were only three items [students] could use their meal-equivalency on. Here, we have a combo that [students] are able to use their meal-equivalency on, but they can also just order whatever they want and use their swipes.”
Markus noted that enthusiasm from students has been high, with many students returning to the restaurant despite it being open for less than a week.
“We’ve had so many students come for lunch, come back for dinner or even take it to go,” Markus said. “We’ve seen repeat customers being open two days, which is so heartwarming, and we’re excited by the community’s excitement.”
Student reactions to Clucksters have varied. While over 600 orders were placed within two days of the restaurant’s opening, negative opinions still exist. In a poll posted to The Quadrangle’s Instagram account, 76% of students say they preferred Café 1853, compared to only 24% of students preferring Clucksters. An anonymous student wrote to The Quadrangle describing the experience as “a clucking disaster,” citing high prices for the portions received.
“When I opened my fries, I was beyond disappointed when I discovered that there were only three fries,” the student wrote in an email to The Quadrangle. “Three fries for $5.”
Although critical of the new restaurant, the student made it clear that their criticism was purely constructive.
“I only bring awareness because I want Clucksters to succeed, because those chefs work hard,” the student wrote in an email to The Quadrangle.
Maya Grate-Ueno, a freshman communication major, had a positive restaurant experience, with her only critique focusing on the beverage selection.
“It was so good,” Grate-Ueno said. “It was way better than I expected. They blew my mind. The chicken was perfectly seasoned, and the salad was so fresh. The only thing is I wish they had more options for drinks.”
While feedback is mixed, Gourmet Dining says they are committed to listening to feedback from the community, adjusting the Clucksters experience as needed. Markus encourages students to submit feedback through the @manhattanu_eats page on Instagram, where students can also find a phone number that they can anonymously text.
“I always encourage [students to give feedback] while they’re picking up [their orders],” Markus said. “Please let us know if you have questions or feedback. We’re open, and we’re here. We have our Instagram, which you can message us, but we also have an anonymous phone number that you can text. We’re always happy to hear feedback.”
Gourmet Dining is also planning on conducting a poll on social media to get student feedback, which will give them a better understanding of what students want changed at Clucksters.
“We’re always looking for ways to make it better,” Henriquez said. “In a couple of days, we’re going to do a poll and see where the students are at. Whether they like the bread we’re using, or should we go bigger? What dessert should we add? That kind of stuff. We want to tailor it to the students, because I don’t want to put anything on the menu that they’re not going to eat.”