Since setting up shop last September, Miss Jackson’s Kitchen has had to be flexible to serve both campus and the College Hill community.
While there has been a positive response from students about the quality of the food compared to other options on campus, the prices are much higher than at other campus offerings. Andrew Reppert, a manager for the restaurant, says that the restaurant has to balance the needs of both students and local Easton residents.
“When the college does close, we need to make sure that we have customers coming in the door,” Reppert said. “We are a from-scratch kitchen, where we make all our food fresh every day. And that does appeal to local communities, local families who are willing to spend a regular amount to go out to eat.”
An underlying issue of appealing to two demographics with different price sensitivities exists. Students on campus see Miss Jackson’s as too expensive because they have a pre-paid meal plan. On the other hand, because it is a privately-owned business, Miss Jackson’s needs to appeal to the local community in order to stay profitable.
To solve this issue, Miss Jackson’s has tried to offer cost-effective items. Pancakes and waffles cost $8 without toppings, a significantly cheaper option compared to their crab and asparagus omelette, which costs $14.
While there were initial delays in accepting Pard Dollars because the restaurant was waiting for the card reader to arrive, students can now use their Pard Dollars when ordering food.
Reppert also said that the owners of Miss Jackson’s have begun to discuss with the college the idea of allowing students to use meal swipes, resolving one of the main criticisms students had with the removal of Trolley Stop, the college-operated restaurant that preceded Miss Jackson’s. Reppert hopes that allowing meal swipes “could help a lot of students come here and enjoy the food.”
However, these talks are preliminary. Christopher Brown, the general manager of Cafe Bon Appetit, wrote in an email that he was unaware of this discussion around the use of meal swipes.
When asked about Miss Jackson’s allowing students to use meal swipes, Jacob Lujanac ’24 was excited about the possibility.
“I myself would totally go there more often,” Lujanac said. “I can definitely see a lot more people [going more often too].”
Overall, Reppert is optimistic about the future of Miss Jackson’s on College Hill.
There has been “a lot of positive feedback from the local community and also from the college on the food and service,” Reppert said. “Most people that walk in through our door say that us coming in here has improved their dining experience at this location compared to previous experiences. So we’re really happy to hear that we’re adding more value to the community.”
