While some local restaurants are look forward to return of students, others do not see much change in business.

Dwayne Lovell, general manager of What’s Cookin’, a restaurant on 409 Seventh St., said when students come back to campus he has an increase in food.

Lovell said they have 27 employees and when students came back, he knew students would be looking for employments and take part-time work at restaurants.

“Our business usually increases by about 50 percent during opening week, Homecoming, parent’s weekend, and graduation,” Lovell said.

Lovell said the popular menu items for breakfast are eggs and bacon, and popular lunch items are usually wraps.

“Our Breakfast is the best in town and reasonably priced,” Lovell said.

During move-in-day they supplied students with water bottles on campus and coupons.

Along with business, inventory also increases at the restaurants, a service shared by Mark Grant, the owner of Joey’s Place located at 850 Lincoln Ave.

Grant, who is glad to see the students back, said the staff and hours also increase with delivery services when school resumes.

While some restaurants increase business with the return of the students some don’t change much at all.

Tricia Craig, owner of South Side Café, on 409 Seventh St., said she gets a little more business when students return.

Craig said since the restaurant is farther away from the school, they usually don’t many have students come in.

The café has been in her family since the late 1960’s when it was both a restaurant and a donut shop, but Craig made it into a café in 1995.

Craig said she and her daughter are the only two workers.

“We serve Breakfast all day long and we’re flexible,” Craig said.

Dustin Wiseman, Barista for The Jackson Avenue Coffee, at 708 Jackson Avenue, also known as The JAC, said the business isn’t entirely dependent on student businesses.

Wiseman said 30 to 40 people come to The JAC each week.

Wiseman said the popular drinks that Eastern students like are the Chai Tea, Snickers and Cardiac Caramel.

“I want students to know that Starbucks is not the only option, and we have open mic nights,” Wiseman said.

Alex Seidler can be reached at ajseidler@eiu.edu  or 581-2812