Campus dining adds Latin American cuisine, checkout changes

Students returning for the spring semester will see a few changes to the campus dining experience.

The new semester marks the grand opening of Sabor Latino, which will serve up Latin American cuisine on the second floor of the Student Union, located in the former Tiffin Room.

Students also will notice a change in how they check out at One World Café. One World removed its self-checkout stations and will now rely on cashiers stationed at five registers.

In the Student Union, Sabor replaces the former Tiffin Room, which had been closed since March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Offering the UB community more dining locations and menu options has continued to be the goal of Campus Dining & Shops as it builds its post-pandemic staffing levels, says Raymond Kohl, director of marketing and communications.

“Latin American food was a cuisine that ranked high from the initial One World Café survey and we have seen requests for Latin American dishes on many of our dining satisfaction surveys recently,” Kohl says.

Sabor, described as a fast-casual eatery, will feature a menu with Indigenous, Spanish and African influences to offer a kaleidoscope of cultural cuisines, each using a distinctive combination of spices and fresh ingredients. Sabor will be open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday.

“Our executive chef, Amelia Ruiz, has a tremendous background in Latin American culture and cooking, and is really looking forward to serving these dishes,” Kohl says.

One World Café, meanwhile, has become one of the most popular dining locations on campus since opening in January 2022, averaging some 3,700 transactions per day. Not only does One World feature five food stations that sell an array of internationally themed meals, snacks and drinks, but it has become a favorite spot for students to gather and study.

Its self-checkout stations, however, were no longer supported by the vendor, so maintenance and updates would not be available, Kohl says. The stations also did not integrate with One World’s point-of-service system that allows for inventory and sales reports to help manage the operation, Kohl says.

“The staffed cashier stations will be a better experience for the guest by providing personal interaction, accurate transactions and increased speed of service,” Kohl says. “The new layout allows for better use of the space and will aid with traffic flow.”

Also new this semester is One World Express, which will allow guests to order a weekly featured special from the Pan Asia station using the GET app.