Limited nighttime dining options has some students angry, while restaurant owners and employees insist closing shop early is cost-effective.

The last restaurants to close in the River Front Center, on the north end of campus, include Togo’s, Hula Dog at the Pub, and Taco Bell Express at 6 p.m.Restaurants at the University Union, on the south end of campus, stay open much later, with Da Deli and Gordito Burrito open until 8 p.m., Burger King until 9 p.m. and Round Table Pizza until 11 p.m.

Limited nighttime dining options has some students angry, while restaurant owners and employees insist closing shop early is cost-effective.

The last restaurants to close in the River Front Center, on the north end of campus, include Togo’s, Hula Dog at the Pub, and Taco Bell Express at 6 p.m.Restaurants at the University Union, on the south end of campus, stay open much later, with Da Deli and Gordito Burrito open until 8 p.m., Burger King until 9 p.m. and Round Table Pizza until 11 p.m.

Some students and staff wish the River Front Center would stay open later.”I’m a graduate student so I take night classes,” said Laura Henningsen, an internship coordinator for the Communications Department. “They are closed during our breaks so (we) are forced to bring food from off campus.”

Others don’t see it as such a problem.

“I just eat out with my friends,” said Nealufar Hayatghaib, an undeclared freshman. “I’m lucky I have my car and options, but for someone who relies on that and doesn’t have those options, I think it is pretty absurd.”

It may be an issue of simple economics.

“It affects us financially,” said JP Simonin, co-owner of Hula Dog at the Pub, as he continued serving food 10 minutes past his restaurant’s official closing time. “We were open late last semester, but it cost us more than we were making.”Traffic at the university’s various dining spots slows down dramatically after lunchtime.

“After 3 p.m., it slows down,” said Michelle Lee, an employee at Kung Fu Fat’s Asian Marketplace, which closes at 5:30 p.m. in the union.

“Every semester, all the (dining) locations on campus provide us with their hours, and we do have the final say as to whether we accept that or not.” said Stephanie Ewing a registered dietician with University Enterprises, Inc., the organization in charge of on-campus food vendors.

“They do need to be open all the way through lunch and into the evening hours.”

Ewing said restaurants in the union have longer hours than those in the River Front Center because the library and art studios in the area are open later, but there is not much happening at night on the north end of campus.

Ewing is quick to point out that nighttime dining options do exist.

“We have six locations on campus that are open until 8 p.m. or later, not including the Dining Commons,” Ewing said. “There are plenty of places to be able to get something during those hours.”

Students can also visit the Dining Commons Store, open from 7:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., with a convenience-store style selection of snack-foods, pizza, salads and Togo’s sandwiches.

Java City at the Roundhouse will introduce expanded hours this week, being open from 7 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., making it the last restaurant to close on the north side of campus.

A listing of on-campus dining options and their hours of operation can be found online at http://www.foundation.csus.edu/dining/hours.html.

Avi Ehrlich can be reached at [email protected]