Copley is a sophomore LPS and political science double major and can be contacted at [email protected]

Excellent service, cheap prices and a variety of options make Noodles & Company at Valley West Mall in West Des Moines an excellent option for Drake students looking for a change-of-pace meal when those buffalo chicken wraps begin to lose their flair.

I made the mistake of going to Noodles during lunch time on a weekend and became disappointed thinking about how long I was going to have to wait. However, with an efficient staff, my girlfriend and I had ordered our food and were sitting down at a newly cleaned table much sooner than we had expected. Beyond taking orders, the staff does an excellent job of recognizing when customers leave and are quick to clean down the table in anticipation for the next group of people ready to enjoy their meals.

Another thing I noticed was the speed of the preparation and service of the food. I have eaten at Noodles multiple times before, and I have never had to wait longer than five minutes for my food, regardless of how busy the restaurant was at the time.

While the menu offers multiple choices from different cultural backgrounds, I stick with the Wisconsin mac & cheese, a dish that truly changes the stereotype about all mac and cheese dishes tasting the same. With new dishes being added to the menu along with extra topping options for your dishes, Noodles is a great place to go if you are looking for a restaurant that gives you plenty of options, excellent service and cheap prices. Noodles may just be what you are looking for on those days when you can’t stomach anything Drake decides to offer you.

Service: 4.5/5

Food: 4/5

Prices: 4/5

Overall: 4/5