by Richa Chaturvedi ’18
At long last, Mange App is a dining hall hack that everyone on campus will enjoy. Currently beta testing in Cabot, this app allows for HUDS grill orders to go paperless. The app displays the daily menu, takes grill orders from anywhere on campus, and texts students when their orders are ready. Finally, no more of that awkward circling around the grill during the chaos that is lunch hour!
Mange App currently lives exclusively online – the iPhone and Android app should be rolling out in the next month – and, while there are some areas for improvement, it definitely has this starving student’s stamp of approval. The first time I used Mange App I was a bit annoyed. I was running to office hours, wanted something from the grill, and had to register as a user and figure out a new interface just to get a piece of chicken. I soon realized that my aversion to adapt to something new got in the way of me understanding the coolness of the entire set-up. Now, if I need something quickly, I can order from my room and get a text telling me to go pick my food up. I’ll probably start getting more texts from Mange App than I will from my roommates, to be honest.
Like I mentioned, no rollout is without its drawbacks. Currently, lunch time on the app is set to begin at noon. That means for you early lunchers that you literally cannot order food until 12:00, even if lunch technically begins at 11:30. This, and other small issues, are already being worked on and will be resolved before the school-wide release of the app. HUDS has even been kind enough to set up an iPad on the counter so that students without smart phones can use the service.
I am sure that the school-wide release of Mange App will turn out to be successful. Already, Cabot grill (which is definitely the best) is more efficient, while using less paper. Mange App is the ultimate dining hall hack: it increases productivity without sacrificing taste. You may ask yourself, now what? I have my grilled chicken in no time and now have no idea what to do with it. For some great ideas on how to spruce up your dining hall meals, check out more Crimson Crave dining hall hacks!