Fast food faves | Washington State Magazine | Washington State University

Every Coug likely has memories of eating with friends in college days. Many a meaningful, or just amusing, conversation has been a side dish for fast food on campus,

From cafés near residence halls to the food court in the CUB, there have been plenty of options for grabbing a quick bite over the years.

Here are some of the favorite places to eat at Washington State University, from the past to today…

From the earliest days of Washington State, many residence halls and Greek houses had shared meals and more formal dining. Students, faculty, and staff still wanted to gather on campus outside of regular meal times and that led to the Temporary Union Building, the TUB.

The TUB opened in 1902 as a gymnasium for both men and women. It incorporated parts of the first building on campus, the Crib. The TUB eventually became the student union, with a popular coffee counter and quick meals. A social hub, the building also had roller skating, ping-pong, jukebox, and dances.

The converted gymnasium was large enough for dances and dinners, and it had a smaller hangout space in its basement called “The Drain.” But it just couldn’t accommodate all of the GIs and students after World War II. In 1952, the TUB was replaced by the Compton Union Building, which became a new place grab a quick meal.

The CUB “fountain” and later other fast-food places, along with plenty of tables, booths, and other seating areas, provided a new hangout for students. It was remodeled in 2008 with new fast-food options.

In addition to the CUB, the Student Book Corporation (the Bookie) had a popular soda fountain and café that drew in plenty of students and others on campus since the 1920s. The Bookie, the CUB, and the TUB all offered free coffee on the last Thursday before Christmas break, with faculty pouring for the students.

A photograph of the soda fountain located in the original Bookie. The Students Book Corporation (Bookie) was erected in 1923. Financed by the Associated Students, the original wood framed building with exterior brick stood in the site of the present Bookie. In addition to textbooks, the Bookie also contained the campus coffee shop. Inside a long soda fountain with levers provided students with fountain drinks, ice cream, coffee; and a dozed high-backed booths places to sit.

1940 – Three women (probably members of the Kappa Kappa Gamma) laughing and enjoying coffee inside the original Bookie.

1946 – Free coffee day in the WSC TUB (Temporary Union Building).

1947 – Four women sit inside the TUB and chat over coffee.

1947 – View of the floor of the TUB and the murals on the east wall.

1948 – Students gather in TUB for coffee.

1951 – Student workers man a cash register, a mop, and a counter in the TUB.

1952 – Coffee is served at the grand opening of the CUB fountain area.

1952 – A longtime tradition at the Bookie and then at the TUB had been “free coffee day” on the last Thursday before Christmas break, and that tradition moved over to the CUB when it opened. Free coffee was served in the fountain area and in the cafeteria, with faculty members doing the pouring for students.

1952 – Students socialize in booths in the Compton Union Building (CUB)’s Fountain Room.

1952 – With the CUB fountain area to opening, the TUB dining areas were closing. Some of the last coffee served.

1954 – Student Marion Otteraaen with a dog, Waldo, who is enjoying a milkshake in the CUB fountain area. Waldo belonged to the Theta Chi house.

1956 – Students in booths, at tables, and in lines inside one of the CUB dining areas.

1959 – International Farm Youth Exchange (IFYE) program students enjoying hamburgers at the 1959 state 4-H conference held at WSC.

1959 – 4H students sharing a milkshake in the CUB in 1959.

1960 – Students are participating in co-ed dining on a trial exchange basis.

1961 – Students at Hall Rotunda gather to eat their meal. The dining place is packed.

1962 – Students hanging around in a CUB dining area.

1970 – A young woman holds an ice cream cone in one hand and scoops into a tub with the other.

1970 – Two students are sitting next to each other while eating in the Stephenson dining hall.

All photos courtesy WSU Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections

The Bookie is now housed in the CUB and has a Starbucks.

Of course, fast food also includes famous Ferdinand’s Ice Cream Shoppe. Originally in Troy Hall and now in the Food Quality Building, Ferdinand’s has long been a place to grab ice cream or other desserts with friends and colleagues.

Dining halls have adapted over the years to include more grab-and-go foods outside of regular meal hours. From the old Stadium Commons to Hall Rotunda and dining halls in Stephenson Complex and Rogers-Orton, they’ve long been places to congregate and share a meal for Cougs.

Now, Dining Services at WSU Pullman runs a variety of on⁠-⁠campus eating establishments:

Cafés next to residence halls offer custom pizza, pasta, salads, sandwiches, plus special dishes like kabobs, ramen, Tex-Mex favorites, and pho. Northside Café is in Regents Hall, Hillside Café is in Wilmer-Davis Hall, and Southside Café is in Hall Rotunda.
Espresso bars and markets all over campus give students and others some quick options. Coug Eats has food for delivery, too.
In the Chinook Student Center, located in the old Bookie building, Freshëns has healthy, “fast casual” food such as rice bowls and wraps.
At the CUB, Carlita’s delivers Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes made to order.

Freshens in the CSC — Freshens in the Chinook Student Center

Photos courtesy WSU Dining/Twitter

Other CUB fast food restaurants include Panda Express, Subway, Cougar Country, and Starbucks.

At WSU Spokane, the Fresh Plate specializes in healthy foods made-from-scratch. Located in the Academic Center, the woman-owned business offers breakfast and lunch, and a grab-and-go deli case.

Courtesy WSU Spokane

At WSU Vancouver, the Crave Fresh Market (in the Dengerink Administration Building) offers fresh snacks, meals, frozen treats and a variety of hot and cold beverages. And on the ground floor of the Student Services Center, The Bookie offers snacks, beverages and WSU’s famous Cougar Gold Cheese (seasonally).

Courtesy WSU Vancouver

At WSU Tri-Cities—in place of the previously hosted Hospitality Cafe—there is the all new “Micro Market” that will be open longer and offer a mix of fresh and pre-packaged food items on the first floor of the Consolidated Information Center (CIC).

Courtesy WSU Tri-Cities

Read more about burger places around Pullman.

What are some of your favorite food places at WSU? Let us know at wsm@wsu.edu.