Fanshawe vs. Western: On-campus eateries
Although Fanshawe and Western share no historic rivalry, students at both institutions have some strong feelings about where they’re getting their next meal. So, we’re exploring what’s available for students in terms of quality in order to find out which institution has better on-campus eateries.
Through a number of subcategories, students who have studied at both Fanshawe College and Western University shared their opinions as to which campus has the best options when it comes to food. The results are listed below:
Coffee
Caffeine is a big need for students. In terms of variety, Western takes the cake with two fully functional Starbucks in the University Community Centre (UCC), a Tim Hortons, and not to mention the café located at the iconic Spoke. This selection kind of puts Fanshawe’s limited Starbucks branded café and kiosk at the Oasis in the Fanshawe Student Union (FSU) building to shame. While Fanshawe’s main campus does have other options, such as a full Starbucks and a Tim Hortons as well, both have remained closed since the start of the pandemic. However, in terms of wait times, Fanshawe comes out on top. Those coffee lines at Western have been said to leave students little to no time in between classes. For Fanshawe, having such a small location for a caffeine pick-me-up, the wait times are never very long. Plus, every 10th coffee is free at Oasis with a stamp card. But, in the end, and in terms of variety, the Mustangs win this category.
“Whether you’re craving Mexican, Italian, or even just a simple cheeseburger, Oasis has it all in one location. There’s a fresh sushi bar, a customizable pasta and stir fry bar, and even Boxcar Donuts on Thursdays for a weekly dessert, all within arms reach.”
Breakfast
It’s the most important meal of the day, especially after pulling an all-nighter studying for midterms. And there’s nothing better than having a huge menu to pick from. So as a Falcon myself, it pains me to say that Western might take this category as well. At the café in The Spoke in the UCC, there are a large variety of bagels and cream cheese to pick from and even non-Mustangs know that Spoke bagels are legendary. Not to mention those breakfast options at Starbucks and Tim Hortons. At Fanshawe, there are only a select number of breakfast options located in Oasis, such as the greasy-spoon fare of Sunny’s. But for a quick morning bite, nothing beats a Spoke bagel sandwich.
Sandwiches
Speaking of sandwiches, Fanshawe is officially on the board, pulling away as the winner in this tight race. The main reason is for the Carvery and Bakery, located in A Building and their customizable artisan sandwiches. Using premium, fresh ingredients, their slogan of “making sandwiches GREAT again” trumped the other campuses’ options when it came to the student voting. However, this was a close call, specifically due to the nutrition program available at Brescia College. In a similar ‘make it your way’ style, this sandwich bar in the dining hall has been praised for its high-end ingredients, cheap price, and quick service. But, in the end, Fanshawe wins this category by a hair.
Dinner
For this category, it really came down to quality over quantity. While Western does have a variety of locations as well as options, Fanshawe’s Oasis outshines them all. Whether you’re craving Mexican, Italian, or even just a simple cheeseburger, Oasis has it all in one location. There’s a fresh sushi bar, a customizable pasta and stir fry bar, and even Boxcar Donuts on Tuesdays and Thursdays for a weekly dessert, all within arms reach.
Grab and Go
This next one is all about preference. While Oasis at Fanshawe is good for a lot of quick options in one place, it can get busy. Western has a lot of options spread throughout the entire campus, it’s just a matter of factoring in the walking distance into your schedule. You can get a simple bag of chips anywhere, so there is no clear winner in this category due to the fact that these simple snack options can be found anywhere on either campus.
The Spoke vs. The Out Back Shack
The battle of on-campus eateries wouldn’t be complete without these two bars. While both have amazing and similar menu options, this category really boils down to social atmosphere. The Spoke is filled with a lot of history, one that can be read within each carving engraved on every table in the tavern, leaving it almost as famous as the University itself. However, The Out Back Shack is always filled with events and live music “highlighting Fanshawe talent.” For these reasons, and many more, this last and final category has landed on a tie. What it really comes down to is which one your friends are at.
It looks like the Fanshawe Falcons and the Western Mustangs have tied overall. In the end, food and culture are both important aspects of the college and university lifestyle. While this battle left no clear winner between the institutions, it’s safe to say that no matter which campus you visit, there are affordable and delicious options available for everyone.