Ownership of the Y Eatery has been transferred to Phourong Noi Phetchareune, who is looking to transform the restaurant.

Tucked away within the University YMCA, the Y Eatery serves Chinese and Thai food to the public from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on weekdays.

“I enjoy the food,” said Y Eatery customer Mark Joseph, information technology manager of the College of Applied Health Sciences. “(The Y Eatery) is a convenient place for me to come and eat something.”

Joseph said he noticed the differences in ownership over the years, which has brought with it slight changes in the menu and flavors.

After his uncle stepped down from managing the Y Eatery, Noi looked into incorporating customers’ opinions into the restaurant. 

“The regulars — most of them faculty here — I have kind of gotten to know them already,” Noi said. “So I was trying to say hi to them as many times as possible.”

In a Reddit post Noi created, one user expressed concerns on the tight hours, which made it hard to get to the Y Eatery after class.

“(If) the demand is there, we will consider expanding our hours,” Noi said.

With recent customer requests, Noi said the restaurant was looking into adding more meat entree items.

“I guess I’m kind of neutral on (the changes),” Joseph said. “I still enjoy coming, and I still enjoy what I eat.”

As a father of three, Noi has paid attention to the environment and his kids’ future. Except for the plastic utensils, most of the waste is made out of paper.

Trying to stay away from food waste, Noi said he gives out the Y Eatery’s leftovers to those who ask at closing time.

“If no one takes it, my buddy has chickens,” Noi said. “So we try to use every little bit that we actually cook that’s not salvageable.”

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