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One of the biggest problems with ordering out is that unless you have your favorite restaurant’s take-out menu memorized, it is tough to remember what they offer. Having take-out menus at home to reference is ideal, but these get lost easier than a freshman’s virginity at Ushuaia. For University of Maine students, however, UMaineMenu.com has the answers to any takeout questions that may be on your mind.
The Web site features scanned menus of almost every local take-out restaurant, along with pertinent information like delivery charges, delivery hours and whether or not they accept MaineCards. The site also hosts useful links, information and news.
Along with local takeout restaurants, the Web site also features links to UMaine dining halls, providing information such as weekly menu schedules.
Benjamin Pottle, a third year management information systems major and webmaster and creator of UMaineMenu.com, said he started the project for personal use but realized that the entire campus could benefit from electronically storing menus.
“The MaineCard program made ordering out a pretty frequent occurrence when I lived in the dorms, but I constantly found myself asking neighbors for menus that I had either misplaced, ruined or was unable to find,” said Pottle.
Pottle said that his ultimate goal for UMaineMenu.com is to make it well-known as a resource for UMaine students to make their ordering out a little bit easier.
“At this point, my goal is simply to spread the word. I want the UMaineMenu to become a resource that the student body knows about and can rely upon,” said Pottle. “To know that I’ve contributed to the community in some tangible way, that’s a good feeling.”
To help increase awareness of the Web site, Pottle said he has been posting in FirstClass forums but hopes to advertise in alternative ways in the near future.
“I’ve got some posters that’ll be going up around campus as soon as I get a chance … and possibly [working] with the restaurants themselves will help to increase patronage,” he said.
The Web site was first introduced in October 2003 but has recently undergone a design change, making it more accessible and easy to navigate. Pottle said that one of his current goals is to make it more accessible for dial-up users.
“Images were a little too big, and the site was a little too graphic-intensive. I’ve cut down on that and helped improve loading times,” said Pottle.
According to Pottle, future plans include expanding the number of restaurants featured to include more Bangor locations.
“There are a lot of commuter students [in Bangor] that I’m sure could make as much use of the site as campus residents with MaineCards,” said Pottle.
Currently, UMaineMenu.com features menus and information on local favorites including Pat’s Pizza, Pizza Dome, China Wall and Orono House of Pizza, among others.
