The Seasider surprises its customers with its many new changes, including new dishes and desserts, new food stations, new business hours, self-checkout, online ordering, and open mic activity. Students and Seasider employees shared how excited they are to see new additions to the Seasider, as well as shared their own favorites.
New menu items
President Galea’i, manager of the Seasider, C-store, and Micro Market, said they renewed their menu for the first time in a year. “We added new items in each area. For example, we added vaifala, a Samoan pineapple drink, in the ice cream station, hot barbeque chicken sandwich at the sandwich area, kalbi ribs, pork chops, seasider bowl, poke bowl, otai bowl, churros at the big lunch station, and potstickers at the stir fry station,” he said.
Galea’i said the Seasider did more than just add to the menu, but it also removed two dishes, which were the lowest-selling options.
He said he wanted to increase the variety of food available to students, which led to the nine newly-added dishes on the menu. Galea’i explained that with these new dishes he tried to bring island taste to the campus. “I want students and faculties to be able to taste island foods here on campus instead of going out of campus to buy these foods.”
Heilala Garcia, a senior from Kahuku majoring in hospitality and tourism management, said as a Polynesian, she loves the new food options available, “I like their new menu, which brought local cuisine to the campus instead of just burgers and fries.”
The Seasider now offers taco bars on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and salad and pasta bars on Mondays and Wednesdays. Now they serve breakfast and lunch, but close for dinner time due to its slow flow of customers.
“We serve breakfast all day long, and we are known for our King’s Hawaiian sweet bread french toast, which is only found in the Seasider on this side of the island,” Galea’i said. He also mentioned that they are open to customers’ comments and suggestions, and will make more changes in the future in their menu and facility to improve their service.
Some of the new products in the C-store include roti and pake cake, which is, according to Galea’i, the Laie community’s favorite tea cookie. “I want students’ flex dollars to be worth it,” he said.
New features
There are also new features to make pick-ups and purchases more accommodating to customers. Starting in October 2019, Seasider started an online ordering service. Students now can order online and pick it up. “Save time, order online,” their slogan said.
Regarding the new online ordering service, Galea'i said, "The online ordering was created to bring another service option to make it convenient for our customers. This is still a new option, and we are working with our marketing team to promote and bring awareness to everyone about the service. We are also working on adding a delivery service on campus as well.
"Feedbacks and responses from customers who used the online ordering services have been nothing but positive. However, they did request for delivery and asked if they can use their flex dollars or flex plus because the website only allows credit cards, and do not accept flex dollars or flex plus.”
Galea’i said Seasider does not have an app for ordering online yet, but they are working on it. For now, the Seasider can receive online ordering only via the BYUH page under Food Services, Seasider page or scanning the code from their signs.
"I feel once everyone knows about it, they will use it more often. Even though the website does not have the full menu of the Seasider, it has the main items, and it is available to order from 9 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. After placing your order, it will be done in 15 minutes. Customers who ordered online can come and pick it up in the Seasider’s online order designated area.”
The Seasider is also willing to provide concessions service whenever there are events on campus like “concerts, Culture Night, Kahuku graduation night, etc. We provide grab and go snacks, sweets, chips, drinks, bentos, etc. to help hungry and thirsty people who attend the events. We coordinate with the BYUH Seasiders Activity Department, to know when we should provide concession service," Galea'i explained.
Sometimes, the Seasider hosts their own events, such as open mic nights, where students and the community can come to sing and share their talents.
Vaimana Tuahu, a senior from Tahiti majoring in hospitality and tourism management, is an employee of the Seasider. He said open mic days makes his work more fun.
The Seasider also started doing “French Toast Fridays.” With the purchase of four French toasts, you can get one for free every Friday. “French Toast Fridays” was an idea of Halston Wood, a senior from Idaho majoring in TESOL.
Wood said, “I was craving French toast one day on a Friday and invited some other friends to socialize and make it more of social activity. Then I realized that "French Toast Friday" had a great ring to it and started calling it that to socialize with people and enjoy good food. Then the Seasider boss, President Galea’i, thought it was a great idea and made it official.”
The Seasider’s team also sells laulau plates, pork wrapped in luau leaves, and poke bowls at the Farmers Market. Galea’i said, “We do not want to clash with vendors of the Farmers Market, so we do not sell otai bowl and vaifala on the Farmers Market days because some vendors sell similar products.”
Galea’i said he made all the recipes for the new dishes. He worked in Food Services for 15 years, and has overseen the Seasider, C-store, and Micro Market for one year.
What are people’s favorite dishes?
Galea’i named their top sellers in each area are the acai bowl, fish katsu, panini, and French toast. Tuahu said he loves the new menu and he recommends everyone to try new things. His personal favorite new dish is kalbi ribs.
Mark James, a retired TESOL professor at BYUH from Laie, said, “I did not try all of the new dishes yet, but I liked the ones I have tried so far. I really like the Seasider’s breakfast and stir-fry station dishes.”
Jocelyn Stevenson, a sophomore from Chicago majoring in marine biology, said she likes her job because her coworkers and customers are very nice to her. She said. “It is a fun and positive place to work. I usually work at the ice cream station and I’m very glad that we started selling vaifala because our customers really like it, and it brings the island vibe to my little station.”
Stevenson said they make fresh vaifala every day. “In my station, Ono berry acai bowl is the most famous product we sell, but my personal favorite is the Seasider acai bowl.”
Myagmar Badmaasuren, a senior from Mongolia majoring in human resources, said her favorite dish from the Seasider is curly fries and their milkshakes. “I like how they extended their dining space and added more seats. It made the Seasider nice and cozy to sit down and enjoy my meal and take a little break from my busy schedule.”
Garcia said her favorite is Hawaiian sweet bread French toast, ahi katsu, pad thai, and the panini. “My brother and I go there almost every day, especially since I started working at the Aloha Center.”
Sister Bullock, a senior missionary from Utah, said, “My husband and I go there once a week. My favorite is a panini and fish and chips. I like their music playing and a variety of their food. We usually end up eating ice cream. My favorite flavor is chocolate and caramel.”