Fewer customers are eating, drinking and socializing at the wRECk Center on the second floor of the Rhatigan Student Center at Wichita State.

That’s because the food court on the first floor reopened last week, although not all the restaurants are open and some seating areas remain closed due to the reconstruction. Chick-fil-A Express, Fast Break, Masala Asian Grill and Taco Bell are operating. Pizza Hut is scheduled to reopen sometime in mid-October. The northwest entrance is open, too.

First-year student Matthew Butler remembers coming to the food court last year as a high school senior.

“It’s been empty because many people don’t know it’s open,” he said.

Butler said he expects more people to eat at the food court when all the restaurants are operating.

“It’s good in the sense of the social aspect,” he said. “Last year it was packed (with) more of a college atmosphere.”

Junior communication major Chris Hardesty said he started coming to the food court after eating at Blimpie’s in Hubbard Hall or the wRECk Center because they were “packed.”

“It’s easier to get food and more variety,” he said about the reopening.

First-year student Rowena Irani anticipates more people will patronize the food court after Pizza Hut reopens, too. In the meantime, she enjoys coming about twice a week.

“It’s kind of dusty, but it’s kind of peaceful, too,” she said.

Rich Renollet, wRECk Center director, said the wRECk Center is more peaceful, or at least not as busy, as it was before the court opened.

“It’s probably dropped in half, but before we were overwhelmed,” he said about the volume of business.

Renollet said he expected business to decrease and the overall idea of the RSC better serving its customers has been achieved.

LaShawna Williams works at the RSC Information Desk. She helps more people with questions.

“It’s probably 20 to 30 percent more,” she said. “As each day goes by, more people come in.”

Williams said people ask about the renovation, when the RSC is open and when the other restaurants will open.

“That’s the biggest question,” she said.

Shelly Martins, RSC marketing director, said industrial-sized fans will be installed by the end of the week to provide airflow in the restaurant and seating area.

“The dust in the building just kind of hangs,” she said. “This year, we’re not going to have the air conditioning back on.”

Martins said efforts are being made to decorate the walls to improve the atmosphere.

She also said the condition the court is in now is how it will be until the end of the semester.

Fast Break will be closed, and may be moved, due to construction of that portion of the student center, which starts at the end of the fall semester.

“It’s done as it’s going to get until it gets torn down again,” Martins said.