Students passing through the Tillman Lobby in the Old Union can now grab a hot coffee on their way to class and sit in their 8 a.m. lecture with a donut in hand.
At 7 a.m. Monday morning, Dunkin’ Donuts began serving customers in Old University Union. A crowd of students and faculty lined up early to be some of the first customers of the morning rush.
Despite the winding line, Sara Leston, a sophomore double-majoring in political science and Spanish, said she only waited a few minutes for her order.
“My coffee still tasted great, and the line wasn’t too bad for the first day,” Leston said.
The first day of service, however, didn’t pass without some critiques.
Emily Cirulnick, a junior majoring in biomedical engineering, said she was frustrated after receiving the wrong order.
“I got my order and it ended up being a macchiato, which wasn’t what I ordered, but I took it anyway because I didn’t want to wait in line any longer,” Cirulnick said.
Dunkin’ Donuts replaces Café Tillman and will offer a complete menu including coffee, baked goods and specialty drinks. The location will serve customers from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Emily Lahm, a sophomore majoring in human development, was surprised at the price tag. Lahm, who said she has been counting down the days until the opening, thought the staff was friendly and considerate, but was disappointed by how much she had to pay.
“As someone whose meal plan is usually depleted because of Starbucks, I was hoping that Dunkin’ Donuts would have the low prices that they are known to have,” Lahm said. “I was upset to see that for a bagel and medium coffee, it cost me almost $8.”
Despite the criticism, both Lahm and Cirulnick said that they intended to return to Dunkin’ Donuts.
Jim Ruoff, resident district manager of Binghamton University Dining Services, said he believes Dunkin’ Donuts’ opening will ensure that campus has options for everyone.
“I am thrilled that we can finally bring this brand to our campus,” Ruoff wrote in an email. “From the cheers that I heard at our proposal presentation over three years ago, to the opening today, I knew that this would be popular on our campus.”