By Katie Perkowski

As the school week begins each Monday, the Student Center Food Court is swarming with students catching a bite to eat during the lunchtime hours. While chain restaurants like Chik-fil-A, Sbarro and Subway are busy with customers, the non-chain restaurants, like Sichuan Express and Champions Grill, have lines that are lacking.

The chain food places always have a lot more people in line than the university-owned places, said Rachel Beyatte, student manager of the Student Center Food Court.

Undecided freshman Jaime Unitus said she eats at the Student Center frequently and has only gone to Sichuan Express, the Chinese restaurant, once.

“I like trying new things but so far this year I have mostly eaten at the chain-named places,” she said. “I think I go for these places because I know what to expect.”

Beyatte said she thinks most people prefer to eat at the chain places.

“I guess people just like the brands,” she said.

Meredith Henson, a nursing freshman, said she didn’t even know there was a Chinese restaurant in the Student Center. Henson said she goes to the chain restaurants more often than the university ones.

“These are restaurants I am familiar with and they are popular,” she said.

As to whether or not UK will add more chain restaurants on campus, Beyatte said she’s not sure, but she does think it is noticeable that they do better business than the other restaurants.

A representative of UK Dining Services could not be reached by press time.