Campus stores sell favored foods

ASU has three shopping hubs within the Student Union; the Campus Store, the Bookstore and the Food Court. Each is filled with students on a day-to-day basis, whether it is to kill time, browse for the newest item to spend their extra book money on or grab a quick snack before their next class. But what exactly is it they are all buying?
 According to records from dining services, the most sold items in the food court are the Chick-fil-A nuggets and the regular Chick-fil-A sandwich.

Manager of ASU’s Chick-fil-A Express, Michael Willard, said the items are popular because of how quickly they are made.    
“They are accessible and you don’t have to wait in line,” Willard said. “Students can just grab them and go.”  
On a normal day usually about 200 nuggets, both 8 and 12 piece boxes, are purchased, and the Chick-fil-A sandwich is right behind with 195 sold. The two are pretty close in numbers. In fact, some days the sandwich may be the number one pick for the day.

The eight piece chicken nuggets have 260 calories and 12 grams of fat at $3.29, while the 12 piece chicken nuggets have 390 calories and 18 grams of fat, at $4.89.The chicken sandwich, however, has 410 calories, 18 grams of fat and costs $3.59.  
“I get the eight piece chicken nuggets from Chick-fil-A. There are always a lot in stock and they taste pretty good,” Miya Soman said, a freshman nursing major of Little Rock.

Gwendalyn Newton, a cashier at the campus store, estimated the most bought items being the 20 ounce drinks. Newton was correct, according to the records.

The campus store sold a total of 7,576 of their 20 ounce drinks last week.

“The reason why they are so popular is the drinks are easy to access and grab,” said Michelle Cobb, administrative assistant for dining services.

The 20 ounce Coca-Cola products each cost $1.59, and range anywhere from 240 calories, such as a Coke, to zero calories, such as a Dasani water bottle, both of which are the most popular.

“I think the reason why drinks are purchased so much is because people are more thirsty than hungry,” Newton said.

The turkey cheddar Kaiser sandwich came in second place with more than 3,000 sold last week.  
The sandwich, composed of lettuce, tomato, turkey and cheese, has 310 calories, and 13 grams of fat while costing a total of $2.79.

In the last month, 65 Red Wolf plush animals were purchased at $18, which makes this the top seller in the bookstore. The second best sellers are the pom-poms at $1.95, with a total of 64 bought in the last month.

According to Jeanie Pechilis, manager of the bookstore, this is the first year the bookstore has carried the plush animal. “They are a replica of the mascot, Howl,” Pechilis said.

To some, it is a small price to pay to have a mini-Howl to remember ASU.