It's shortly before 11:00 on a Thursday morning as a crowd of eager students gathers in Upper Usdan Student Center. Director of Dining Services Mike Newmark shouts, "Two-minute warning." A student exclaims, "This is the best day of my life." Shrieks and bouts of applause erupt as the doors of Quiznos open to welcome the Brandeis community. The only question is whether Brandeis students are graciously returning the embrace. In the two weeks since Quiznos' opening day, many students have complained about the 30 minutes generally required to wait in line for a sandwich. Douglas Moore '11 said, "The food has been really good, but the service has been terrible. It takes a considerable amount of time to get a sandwich."

In an e-mail to the Justice, Newmark wrote, "With any very busy operation that prepares the item fresh and to order there are wait times associated. With all our operations we constantly work to speed up the process from preparation to customer but never to sacrifice the quality of the food item."

The menu includes six signature subs, including the Classic Italian, the Traditional, Turkey Ranch and Swiss, Chicken Carbonara, Black Angus Steak and Mesquite Chicken. There are also salads, soups, Deli Favorite Subs and four combo meals. However, only Deli Favorite Subs, small soups and small orders of chili can be paid for with meals. Quiznos is open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to midnight.

Benjy Cooper '11, who was first in line for the opening, said that Quiznos is the best change at Brandeis in a long time. Cooper ordered a Mesquite Chicken and Bacon sandwich, a Dr. Pepper and jalapeno chips. After taking the first bite of his sandwich, he said, "It's delicious."

Student Union President Jason Gray '10 said, "I think it's a wonderful new addition," adding that the service "seems good so far."

However, some students did not enjoy as pleasurable an experience on opening day. Ruth Schulman '11, for example, was one of several students who was dissatisfied.

"I waited in line for half an hour," she said. "When I finally got to the front, I said I wanted turkey. [The Quiznos employee] asked me what kind of turkey I wanted. She explained that I could either have one kind of turkey sandwich or another. She told me that they only had predesigned sandwiches. I asked if I could get turkey, lettuce, olives and tomato. She said, 'No, this is Quiznos, not Subway.'"

The official Quiznos policy is that every sandwich is "made to order," according to the company's Web site. The Web site also reads, "You can tell us how you want it. . We offer 23 original recipes, but you can put on your own spin. Make it your own."

Schulman said, "They didn't have a sign up there saying that you have to order one of the sandwiches directly from the menu. I was told I could order one of the turkey sandwiches on the menu and that I could take things off, but then it would have just been turkey and bread, so I walked away."

According to Brandeis Quiznos employees, it is in fact possible to ask for "made-to-order" sandwiches by requesting to substitute various items with the items in the sandwiches already outlined on the menu. However, students will be charged extra for adding items. There is no additional charge for substituting sauces, though.

Schulman explained that she just wants to be able to go in and say, "I want this bread, turkey and then after it goes through the toaster, ask for lettuce, tomato, olives, peppers, cheese or whatever else I may want on it."

In an e-mail to the Justice, Newmark wrote, "I am very pleased and excited with the opening of Quiznos. The concept has been very well received and students appear happy with this new food option on campus. From the opening on Thursday volume [and] traffic has been steady."

Newmark added, "We are always open to feedback and suggestions to make Quiznos and any of our other Dining operations better."

-Anya Bergman contributed reporting.