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Amanda Ta, a third-year civil engineering student, makes a purchase at the De Neve stand.

Rushing through De Neve Plaza on the way to class, students may miss the chance to buy that dose of caffeine that will keep them awake – because they may not know there is a coffee stand nearby.

The new coffee stand, recently opened by UCLA Dining Services, provides brewed and iced coffee as well as pastries. It operates Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Prices for most items equal those of the coffee shops on campus, and some are even lower. Students can either pay cash or use their BruinCard EasyPay accounts.

Dining services employees have been passing out samples to attract students’ attention.

“Students are pretty open to samples because they are free,” said Tausha Hunter, a Dining Services employee who works at the stand.

Yet, even at the peak morning hours when students walk to class the stand seems deserted. Dining Services staff working at the stand spend time cleaning and talking to each other when there aren’t any customers.

During a 40-minute period one morning, only three people got coffee.

“Most people don’t know what it is,” said Steven Frankel, another employee who works at the stand. “But it gets better every day.”

When asked about the stand, many students confusedly stare towards De Neve dining hall and decline to comment.

“I don’t really know what it is,” said Giusseppe Paras, a third-year psychology student, while passing by the stand’s advertisement sign in De Neve Plaza.

There seem to be other reasons for the lack of customers.

Students who live in the dorms can get food and coffee with their meal plans at the dining halls, while students who live in the apartments can simply eat at home.

“I have never bought anything at the stand because it is easier to swipe in the dining hall,” said Sheila Vand, a first-year theater student.

Other students who have meal plans mentioned that spending money at the stand doesn’t make sense if they can get a meal at the dining hall. 

The most popular drink, so far, is mocha latte, and blueberry muffins rank top among the pastries, Hunter said.

Those students that buy something at the stand seem to be content.

A pop-out window similar to the current stand was in the original plan for De Neve Plaza, said Connie Foster, associate director Dining Services. But, at the time of the construction, the window was not put in place due to a lack of funds.

“There is quite a traffic flow (in De Neve Plaza). Not everyone can come into the dining hall,” Foster said, adding that students may find the stand convenient.

The stand is targeting both students who live in the dorms and those who live in apartments in Westwood.

There are also plans to place seating, which should be completed by the beginning of fall quarter in September, next to the stand.

Dining Services is in the process of replacing the coffee that the stand is currently selling with coffee from the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf.

“We went through a process of selection. Right now we are working out details,” Foster said.

Profits and losses from the stand will fall under the budget for the UCLA Housing and Dining Services, said Charles Wilcots, director of Dining Services information.