From morning to evening, the number of customers in line at Ex Libris Café rivals the number of books in the Reg, frequently stretching to the doors of the student-run coffee shop.
Third-year BJ Barker, general manager of the coffee shop, estimates that the line sometimes consists of upwards of 20 people. In order to lessen the wait for customers, Ex Libris is considering getting a second cash register.
“We’re looking at adding a second register, but that depends on whether two register[s] will fit the space, if we can get the space wired for a second register, physical things like that,” Barker said in an e-mail. “Whether it’s getting a second register or just upgrading the one we have, improvements are in the works.”
Coffee shop coordinator Dave McEvers wrote in an e-mail that he hopes to have the register installed during spring quarter.
“We’re working through UChicago Dining to use their register system,” he wrote. “The goal is to serve more customers and serve them faster.”
The planned improvements are due to an increase in traffic at the coffee shop.
“It really just originates with the fact that we’re getting more business than normal so we’ve been seeing longer lines,” Barker said. “We’ve been trying to find ways to get more customers through the line [and] make the experience a little better.”
The University News Office declined to provide any information about funding.