Want a BYO Sandwich? Time-Out!

St. Lawrence students were disappointed to see that Time Out Cafe no longer serves build-your-own sandwiches after opening late this year. Time Out is a lunch spot located in the athletic center near Newell Field House. Last year, students, athletes and faculty alike relished the opportunity to build their own sandwiches using a meal exchange swipe. This year, however, the SLU community was disappointed to find that their staple eatery only offered pre-made sandwiches after opening nearly a month late. 

“I definitely go to Time Out less now that the build-your-own sandwich option is gone,” said Ellie Camp ’25. “A lot of people – specifically athletes who are constantly in the athletic center – don’t go anymore because there are less options and the sandwiches seem to be less fresh than they were in the past since they are now pre-made.” 

“It was really nice to have a great sandwich option so close to the athletic area instead of trying to navigate ordering through the pub with the limited time slots or using a swipe to wait in a Dana line,” adds Suzy L’Hommedieu ’25, a member of the St. Lawrence women’s field hockey and lacrosse teams. 

 “It’s been nice to Time Out open and see Sarah, but I have found myself going less frequently and heard from other teammates that they don’t like the premade options either.” 

Student-athletes like Camp and L’Hommedieu spend a significant amount of time in the athletic center, whether it is to go to the fitness center, go to the training room, run at Newell Field House, and many others. 

“Time Out was so convenient,” echoed Camryn Sipher ’26, a member of the lacrosse team as well. “I was able to run and grab Time Out after doing rehab in the training room or grab my meal deal before a bus trip.” 

“I think everyone preferred build your own,” added Andy Downs ’24. “It’s just the autonomy of being able to choose provides a big benefit on mental health is one thing, so I think that when you take away that option of being able to do whatever you want for your lunch it’s really hard to be excited to go to Time Out.” 

Marijo Haggett and Catherine Henry, two members of the St. Lawrence dining services team, told The Hill News that they do not have enough staff members during lunch hours to fully open Time Out Cafe. According to a survey done by the National Association of College and University Food Services, students wanted healthier options at Northstar Cafe. The dining services team added two new sections – Greens & Grains and Smoothies & Bowls. However, these stations require more staff and have impacted staff distribution, resulting in fewer staff memebrs avlaible to run Time Out Cafe full-tume. 

“We know how important Time Out is to the customers who dine there, which is why we decided it was better to open with a limited menu than to not open at all,” said Haggett and Henry. “Our guest counts (students, faculty and staff) are running an average of 3,000 transactions per day at the Northstar café versus the 50 – 80 we typically serve at Time Out per day, so we have to put staff where the operations need it most.” 

Sarah Amyot works at Time Out and has been for many years. When thinking about the cafe, St. Lawrence students often envision Amyot’s exuberant and friendly personality working at the counter. However, the recent changes to Time Out have resulted in less students taken a toll on the ambiance of the cafe. Many students use their interactions with Amyot to express their frustration over the departure of build-your-own sandwiches, alongside pleas to get them back.  

“If they want a premade sandwich they can go to Johnson grab and go,” Amyot pointed out. “They don’t want another Johnson.” 

“It was a great spot to go with friends and hang out at the tables,” recalls L’Hommedieu. “But I’ve been hanging out less with Time Out being grab-and-go and just spending time in Newell for my activity then leaving.” 

“The BYO sandwich was my favorite meal on all of campus,” said Sipher. “Getting to see Sarah every day to make my favorite sandwich is what gave me joy.” 

“On a campus with already limited dining options that is supposed to be big into and really support athletics, we took away the only dining option where athletes can get a full meal other than Dana,” notes Downs.  

“These kids are all different, and some of them need to eat higher calories than the rest,” adds Amyot, touching on the key role that nutrition plays in the success of athletes. 

While many are disappointed about Time Out’s changes, most are just grateful that it is open. SLU faculty member Aaron Todd has office drop-in hours at Time Out for the Center for Career Excellence from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Fridays. Todd sees the silver lining of still having a campus eatery in the athletic center that can serve as a location to connect with other members of the campus community. 

“It’s been great to have foot traffic going by, to see students, have conversations, and to talk to coaches and other members of the athletic department staff,” said Todd. “Having it be a place to congregate again has been a bonus for our campus, so I’m really happy to see it and provide students with another dining option.” 

“Right now we do not have a date set on when we can return to made-to-order sandwiches at Time Out,” Haggett and Henry stated. “It all depends on the labor market, which has consistently shown to have less and less people applying for positions in all service industries. We are regularly advertising online and in local papers for our open positions, and we are always hiring student employees as well.”