The Observer, March 25, 2005
Volume XXXVII, Issue 22
Wackadoos strong on spirit, slow on service
Wackadoo's Grub and Brew. Try saying that three times fast.
Hopefully, you'll only ever have to say the name of the newest campus dining option once, since it will probably become known in the future as "that place in Thwing with the weird name." Unfortunately, the name probably can't be legally changed, since "that place in Thwing with the weird name" is a national collegiate chain whose noble goal is to create "an atmosphere of pride and tradition in one's alma mater" and "to provide fresh, homemade food while keeping the budget of the college student in mind." Along those same lines, Wackadoo's only hires students, a concept I found interesting considering the fact that, should service be less than satisfactory, you could end up yelling at your lab partner to get you a frickin' beer, NOW!
I ventured to Wackadoo's on Monday for the grand opening, hoping to grab a quick, half-off (thanks to the grand opening specials) bite to eat between classes. Apparently all of campus and half of John Carroll had the same idea, because, upon reaching the portal between Thwing and school-spirit-meets-bar-meets-Chucky-Cheese-Land, my companion and I were greeted by a massive, confused, and hungry- looking throng that seemed ready at any instant to pounce on a server and either demand food… or worse.
I acknowledge that Monday was the true "grand opening" of Wackadoo's, after only a week of limited operation, but from the start both customers and staff seemed confused and overwhelmed. My companion and I didn't know whether to wait to be noticed by the harried-looking waitstaff, to stalk already sitting diners and stage a coup for a table, or join the impossibly long "to go" line. (We judged against this after witnessing several students complain hungrily and then leave without food.) After asking a friend/waitperson whether we could steal an uncleared table, (hiring students was a good idea, Wackadoo's, well done) and not really waiting for a go-ahead, we established ourselves as patrons. Some five minutes later, someone took our drink orders (we had not yet been given menus, and were told that there was a shortage). Ten minutes after that, our food order was taken.
Now, my companion and I recognized that in a normal sit-down restaurant such as those found in Little Italy, a leisurely ordering pace is for the best. But if you, like most students at lunch during the school day, are looking for something quick to eat before you go to class or work, then service must be equally fast. We would have braved the to go line, but at the rate it which it was moving, I might as well have asked my mother to bring me lunch. She lives in Albany.
The 40 minutes it took for our food to appear on our table (the ordering and waiting process had, at this point, taken up roughly an hour of my hour-and-fifteen-minute lunch break) were certainly sufficient to take in the décor and assorted gadgets. Wackadoo's boasts several plasma screen TVs, video games, pool, air hockey, and countless pictures and other memorabilia donated by many campus groups. All in all, the atmosphere seemed very conducive to fostering a sense of community for those who might venture away from the library for a few minutes at a time. The seating area, particularly on Monday, could have benefited from rearrangement to accommodate more tables. I also noticed two signs that half-blended into the walls asking patrons not to bring alcoholic beverages out of the restaurant; I was probably one of the only ones who did notice these signs.
Our food arrived after an inquiry to our waitperson and was quite satisfactory for the amount spent on it. On days that are not the grand opening, Wackadoo's prices are still more expensive than the Silver Spartan Diner's. Wackadoo's also has less variety than either the diner or Tomlinson – and for vegetarians, this is bad news. I satisfied myself with a salad (which appeared to have come from a bag, and left me looking forward to a homemade salad) and French fries. My companion, who is not a vegetarian, enjoyed a Wacky burger, despite having to say the name aloud to order it, and pronounced it superior to burgers found at Leutner, Fribley, and the Diner. (The menu and the staff T-shirts boast the mildly offensive "Fat Ass Burger" which presumably derives its appeal from its name.)
I believe that the concept of Wackadoo's is a good one. A central place on campus for food and entertainment and alcoholic beverages is probably something Case needs. But students still need quick places to eat on campus, and from my experience, Wackadoo's will have to speed up everything from to go ordering to table turnover in order to compete with places like Tomlinson, especially since Fribley will be closing next year. It's early in the game, though, and there's still plenty of time to make Wackadoo's the most powerful eating environment in the world. And to change the name.
