Sam's Grill service only so-so

It's mid-November-everyone is tired of being on campus and seeing the same things every day, exhausted from class work, and disgusted by both the cafeteria and by Cosi.

When the novelty of Larry's Steaks, Q'doba, Chipotle, and California Pizza Kitchen has worn off, many St. Joe's students try to venture farther off campus.

One of the most popular escapes for nondescript lollygagging-as evidenced by the overabundance of St. Joe's sweatshirts being worn by various customers-is the Wynnewood Shopping Center. A mere four minute drive from campus, this suburban treasure-trove houses an Old Navy, a Borders bookstore, a Genuardi's, and several restaurants, thus seeming to satisfy all college students' basic consumption needs. Sam's Grill, which bills itself as a "great neighborhood restaurant," seems to be one of the favorites there, and was entirely packed at 1:30 on a recent Saturday afternoon.

The butter yellow walls are reminiscent of hues selected for home kitchens and, when coupled with the twinkling novelty lights that hang in the windows, give the place an air of familiarity, which is, however, boldly overcome by the back wall, which is painted to look like a giant cow hide, and the bathrooms, which are covered in quirky sayings and cartoons.

Aside from these few distractions, there is little of visual interest to distract customers during excessively long waits. Over the weekend, my lunch date and I had to wait more than five minutes to receive any attention from anyone at the seat-yourself restaurant, then had to wait more than 20 minutes for a hot dog platter and a simple hamburger. To the restaurant's credit, nearly all the tiny booths and tables were filled and there was only one waitress working, which severely disadvantaged them in terms of service.

The food did arrive hot, but it was shockingly bland and plated incredibly simply. The meals would have been more acceptable if the prices had reflected the quality; however, a decent hot dog with fries-which didn't even have salt on them-and genuinely gross coleslaw is grossly overpriced at $8, with a similarly expensive burger at $6.75. Somehow, shelling out over $10 at a place with a black and white checkered vinyl floor seems un-American.

While Sam's Grill may be a good option for the families from the area looking for a quick bite-or for students who are really desperate to burn through their parents' money-it's really not worth the drive or the wait.