A new look and new menu options have made the renovated Buckeye Express in the North Commons a popular dining spot since it reopened last week.

Now called Fresh Express, the average meal count has been nearly double that of the old Buckeye Express, said Mark Newton, Campus dining Associate director.

He said the renovation gave Fresh Express a restaurant atmosphere, similar to Panera Bread or Camille’s Sidewalk Cafe.

Although the menu now has more options, it still serves favorites such as cheeseburgers and popcorn chicken, Newton said.

“I’d get killed if I took popcorn chicken away,” he said. “I didn’t want to take away the old favorites, because they certainly fill a niche on campus with the students. But I wanted to also present a healthier option.”

The healthier options include sandwiches, salads, wraps, fruits and vegetables. These are made to order, so students can custom design their own combinations. If the lines are long, people can grab something from the Fast Lane, which features pre-made food.

“You’ve got an entire option here, you’ve got entrée salads, side salads and multiple sandwiches made fresh daily,” Newton said.

Brandon Messerschmidt, a freshman in biology and business, said the variety at Fresh Express is what he likes most.

“It’s better than Buck Yuck,” he said, referring to the former Buckeye Express.

Sam Gerber, a freshman in history, agreed.

“Better quality food, big time,” he said. “The burgers taste a lot better, they’re bigger. For the most part, there’s a lot more variety. Fresh food, you’ve got salads.”

Nathan Ricciardi, a freshman in pre-business, was less impressed.

“Not my favorite, by any means,” he said. “Not quite as good as MarketPlace, you don’t have the quality of food.”

Ricciardi said the lines were shorter at Fresh Express than elsewhere on campus.

“I thought it was pretty fast, how they threw everything together pretty quickly,” he said. Unlike other places on campus where it takes forever in line, this was actually pretty fast.”

There were some complaints about the food.

Gerber said he was unhappy with the salad dressing selection.

“This is southwestern ranch sauce for like burritos, but I like Thousand Island dressing.”

“And, I don’t know, different potato products (would be nice), because I’m not a big fan of wedges.”

Andrew Sharp can be reached at [email protected].