Ohio University students who need to eat and run soon will have another option.

The first "Grab and Go" food service will open in Shively Hall toward the end of October or early November. It will be located in the former lounge of the hall facing Morton Hill, said Randall Shelton, director of food services.

"Unlike the dine-in cafeteria, food is limited with the Grab and Go option. Students will be allowed to choose approximately one entrée, two side dishes, a beverage, salad, and dessert," he said. "If they need a few extra items, they can pay for them when they check out."

The Grab and Go option counts as one meal on a student's meal plan. Each student's ID card is swiped after diners choose their food to ensure they did not take more than the allotted amount, Shelton said.

This alternative to the usual sit-down meal will work with students' demanding schedules and various eating patterns because it allows them to take their food and eat it on the way or save it for later, he said.

Grab and Go options will open within the next year at Boyd and Nelson Dining Halls. Shively will serve the meal as a trial to give food services time to tweak the system, Shelton said.

"The biggest challenge will be making sure students get the right amount of food," said James Yute, general manager of Shively Dining Hall. "We also have to decide which foods would be suitable for Grab and Go, because obviously some foods won't work as well as others."

"The Grab and Go option originated from student surveys and roundtable discussions," Shelton said. "The number one request from students was to have some way where they could use their meal credit for a quick meal on the run."

The food service administration spent seven to eight months researching other institutions to see what concepts would work for the environment at OU.

Funding for the service comes from part of students' room and board fees.

"I think it is a good idea, because I hardly ever have time to sit and eat with my schedule," said sophomore Lisa Porges. "I could get this and eat it later when I find a free minute."

Other students find this option might be more useful on an as-needed basis.

Sophomore Sara Wagner said, "I think with evening classes it would help. I might use it on occasion, but not all the time."

Yute said he thinks the Grab and Go option will draw students away from the dine-in area of Shively and from other dining halls on campus.

"We've looked at other schools, and 30 to 60 percent of the students switch from dine-in to Grab and Go," he said.

With the expected popularity of the new service, the dining hall will need to hire more student employees to handle the increased traffic.