Quick stops face off

‘ ‘ ‘ Whether you’re sick of Market Central, awake studying late at night or just have no time… ‘ ‘ ‘ Whether you’re sick of Market Central, awake studying late at night or just have no time to sit down to eat between classes, it’s inevitable: You’re going to need groceries. ‘ ‘ ‘ Now, where can you find a store that sells groceries? For most students living on campus, it comes down to two main options: the Quick Zone convenience store next to Market Central and the IGA grocery store on Forbes Avenue. ‘ ‘ ‘ The grocery boasts a wide selection of edibles and a variety of bath products, over-the-counter medicines and paper goods, but its location, roughly three blocks away from the Towers lobby, makes it slightly more of a trek for students living in Schenley Quad or Litchfield Towers. This is especially true for the Towers folk, as the Quick Zone can be reached from the dorm’s lobby without going outdoors ‘mdash; a luxury in typical Pittsburgh weather. ‘ ‘ ‘ While both stores accept Panther Funds, the Quick Zone will also accept dining dollars from the Pitt meal plan. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘I don’t use Panther Funds or cash usually, so I either shop with Dining Dollars at the Quick Zone or at the dollar store,’ said freshman Mike Woodhull. ‘ ‘ ‘ Dining Dollars are only usable at campus-owned facilities and can be difficult to get rid of by the end of the semester, so being able to use them on provisions is convenient. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘I don’t know that much about the Quick Zone for groceries. I usually only go there to get a salad or sandwich for lunch or something,’ said freshman Paulina Gonzales. ‘ ‘ ‘ In terms of ambiance, the Quick Zone is very much grab and go, whereas IGA encourages customers to linger over those important gustatory decisions. And while the University does represent a large percentage of its patronage, IGA shoppers, as opposed to Quick Zone-ers, are not exclusively students. ‘ ‘ ‘ Comparing the pricing of basic items shows that the Quick Zone tends to be more expensive than IGA for most edible items, though many students living independently for the first time are surprised and aghast at how expensive groceries are everywhere. ‘ ‘ ‘ The same half gallon of milk will cost $3.09 at the Quick Zone and $1.88 at IGA. Easy Mac Ready Serve, a staple component of the average college diet, can be obtained for only 99 cents at IGA, as opposed to the $1.39 at the Quick Zone. Cereals such as Cheerios are 50 cents less at IGA. Single servings of yogurt cost $1.59 at the Quick Zone and 83 cents at IGA. ‘ ‘ ‘ The Quick Zone does have IGA beat on cookies at 33 cents (averaging 45 cents at IGA) and some fruits (79 cents at Quick Zone, 99 cents at IGA), but in general, Pitt students wanting convenience will have to pay for it. Even still, there are those who find the comparatively cheaper IGA to be pricey. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘I went to IGA once, but it seemed pretty expensive, so I don’t think I’ll go back,’ said freshman Sam Becker when asked where she preferred to shop. ‘I don’t really like the Quick Zone either, though. I’d rather go to Target if the Waterfront wasn’t so far away.’ ‘ ‘ ‘ So while there are options abound for groceries in Pittsburgh, if you want to stick in Oakland, take a risk and walk three blocks. Your bank account will thank you.