ISU students may be overlooking a potentially cheaper alternative location for lunch on campus.

The Joan Bice Underwood Tearoom, located in the center of the ground floor in MacKay Hall serves lunch to the public at 11:50 a.m. Tuesday through Friday each week. Students in HRI 380, a required course for hotel restaurant and institution management, serve lunch to the customers. Reservations are required, and the meal costs $6.25. It is completely student-run and operated, but overseen by John Kramer, lecturer in apparel education studies and hospitality management.

“The program is management-focused and the course ties into it with the opportunity for service management experience,” Kramer said.

Students fill different roles each meal, including head chef, head baker, assistant baker, kitchen prep, kitchen manager and server; participants rotate through the positions during the semester.

“[The students] take charge while in those leadership positions,” Kramer said.

Maggie Sander, senior in hotel, restaurant and institution management, currently participates in the course.

“I heard that you need to keep up on your work, so I wasn’t too surprised [with the work load], but it’s really important to keep track of your work load and agenda.”

Sander said the course takes a lot of time, but considers it a “good thing to ask of a student.”

As a kitchen manager earlier in the semester, Sander gave out responsibilities to the kitchen staff and wrote out special instructions with needs and goals for serving the customers.

“Time management and organization are essential,” Sander said. “[This course] is challenging because every day you have a new position, but you get a self reward when you work hard and get that meal out on time.”

“It’s a great opportunity because I wouldn’t have an opportunity like this otherwise. You get the whole experience from the managerial side to the serving side. Different forms of communication is something I’m learning, too.”

The majority of customers are faculty and staff.

“A lot of the time people don’t have a whole hour to sit there. It’s not as convenient as going to a café. We hope that in the spring we’ll have salads and more to-go items,” Kramer said.

Students may use CyCash and Dining Dollars to pay for a meal at the tearoom.