The line for the Eastway omelet bar extended past the cash registers and through Eastway Café on a Friday during the fall semester as students waited to customize their omelets.

Catherine Kurtz, senior manager of Eastway Café, said the omelet bar is consistently busy throughout the week, and while the line moves rather quickly, it is not uncommon for it to wrap past the registers.

Kayla Kosky, a freshman early childhood education major, said she visits the omelet bar at least once or twice a week. Although the line is always long, it is worth the wait, she said.

“It’s made right there in front of you, (and) it’s worth it to see the hot workers sometimes,” she said.

Students attribute its popularity to the environment, workers and quality of food.

As one of multiple on-campus dining locations at Kent State that offer omelets, Kurtz said she believes the location’s popularity is due to healthy options and the creation-station atmosphere where omelets are created directly in front of the student.

Callie Lopez, a sophomore managerial marketing major, said she enjoys the Eastway omelet bar for this very reason.

“I like the omelets because you can see them being made,” she said. “It’s just more interactive.”

Kurtz said the station offers 10 different items students can choose to put in their omelet, as well as potatoes, bacon and sausage — which many students choose as side dishes to compliment their meal.

“I believe that omelets are healthy. It’s a healthier choice versus having a biscuit, egg, or sausage and egg sandwich,” she said.

Amelia Johnson, a freshman fashion merchandising major, said she has never tried Eastway’s omelets before, but she can see why the location is so popular. Johnson herself was a part of the long line waiting for an omelet.

“I think it’s sort of like a healthy option for breakfast, and it lets you customize what you’re going to eat, so I think people like that,” she said.

However, for Makayla Bauman, a sophomore fashion merchandising major, one of her favorite aspects of the Eastway omelet bar is the atmosphere workers bring in addition to the quality of food.

She said she always recognizes Steve Gilham, a chef at the omelet bar who has been at Eastway for nine years, and he always remembers her friends and their orders.

“He always knows my friends. He always remembers our orders. It’s really nice,” she said.

Kurtz said she has worked with Gilham for four years, and that he brings consistency to the station by interacting with customers and training student workers.

“The majority of our workers here are students so you don’t have the same person all the time,” she said. “It’s nice to have consistency in the station.”

While student orders all seem to vary, everyone seems to agree on one element contributing to the omelet bar’s popularity: the food.

“I always get ham and sausage with American cheese and some potatoes,” Bauman said. “I’m not really a big breakfast person, but I always love the omelets here. They’re really good.”

Rachel Stevenson is the residence services reporter, contact her at [email protected].