Entropy+ provides healthy, quality food — at a price

Though there was a certain socialist charm to the overcrowded aisles and empty shelves of the old Entropy, the convenience store’s rebirth this past week is one in a series of changes that have improved the quality and diversity of food on campus.

The new Entropy+ features gluten-free, vegan, and organic brands, along with fresh produce, opening up dining possibilities for groups with even the most specific dietary demands. These improvements in variety, paired with the opening of Evgefstos! and other dining changes, show a true commitment on the part of the university to providing healthier, higher-quality food.

Beyond selection, Entropy+’s size, location, and accessibility are all vast improvements over the old Entropy. One can still enter from both outside or inside the University Center, and entrances are no longer blocked by the checkout line or frantic students waiting to fill their coffee cups. The new location is also more central to campus, being nearer to both the academic buildings and the Hill residences.

Despite its move, however, Entropy+’s prices remain astronomical. Though the high costs of the products are perhaps the price of convenience, they may only encourage theft, which was an ongoing problem at the former location. In turn, the theft only encourages Entropy to keep prices high. With the numerous entrances and exits at the new location, the incidence of five-finger discounts is not likely to decline.

In addition, the ability to use DineXtra at Entropy+, while convenient for a large part of the campus, has ensured that certain shelves are continually bare. Even on its first day, with shelves full, the store was running severely low on necessities like milk and water by closing time.

On the whole, the campus’s new convenience store shows a vast improvement, but still fails to solve some of its predecessor’s key problems.