We work at Sparty’s together, so this list is based on our own experiences. That being said, we’re valid, because we believe that we are the best Sparty’s workers at Michigan State University. We have been through a lot in our time as employees, so that puts us in the position to give our rankings of the Sparty’s locations to work in. Brandy has almost two years of experience, and Mia has worked at every site across one school year.
Theft, fire alarms, coworker drama, we’ve had it all. Through saying, “You’re all set!” to about 500 people as we shift across the various locations, we’ve rounded up our favorites. To preface, the 1855 Place, Case, and Brody Sparty’s are under the culinary branch along with the dining halls, so they were not considered for this ranking:
1. Holden
This is where we had our meet-cute moment. On a hot September day, no air conditioning in sight, Mia was barely trained. Brandy took the reins and taught Mia everything she knew . . . which probably isn’t the best thing. But we still work there, so that’s saying something.
This spot has the benefit of having Shantelle as the full-timer. She is the best, an absolute queen, and amazing at her job. She is a huge part as to why this Sparty’s is our favorite. She loves to gossip with us and will always lend an ear to any problems we have. Despite everything that goes down in a single shift, she manages to get her jobs done and run a great store.
Holden also has two stock rooms attached to the actual store. The backstock drink room isn’t a freezer, and it’s one of the larger locations. It offers great space for us to dance and be silly when we’re working together.
Just don’t mistake them for the mobile ordering location (which is actually upstairs).
2. BioMed
This place is never not busy, which, as a Sparty’s worker, is actually not that bad. You always have something to do and it’s located in the middle of campus. Debbie, the full-timer for this spot, will do most of the work, but that’s just how the store runs.
Don’t take that as an excuse to do nothing though – Debbie runs a tight ship. Learn the rules and the extra register mechanics, and you’ll fit right in. BioMed is a very successful location, and is actually one of the busiest out of them all. It also closes at 3 p.m, so thankfully there’s no late night walks home.
The open concept offers the unique opportunity to work in two separate areas within the store: the register and the counter. The espresso machine behind the counter is difficult at first, but so much fun to operate. You can also get a good latte from it, and drinks are always the best during a long shift.
3. International Center
The newest Sparty’s location is actually very nice to work at, due mostly to its location. Right next to the store, you’ll find your favorite lunch spots such as Panda Express, Subway and The Roost.
Understandably, given the other options at the International Center, you won’t find yourself very busy during your shift, but that’s okay because you get to work with Edalea! Edalea the full-timer has been working at Sparty’s for years and will make time fly by as you gossip the shift away with her extensive knowledge. Additionally, you’ll find an espresso machine at this location, so you can still grab the same types of lattes as you can from BioMed. Fortunately, this Sparty’s also closes at 3 p.m., so you can get out and still enjoy the day.
4. Owen
This dark and moody spot is so chill. Next to Thrive, the allergen-free dining hall, you can get some Dole Whip and good tenders before your shift; these would be a good distraction from the slow traffic within the store.
That’s not to say it is a bad thing to have a shift at Owen. They have all the stock attached, and have a backstock drink room. Grab a coat though, it’s one of the locations that doubles as a refrigerator.
The lack of customers is fine; when they do come in they’re nice, and the free time you get can be made up of bonding time with coworkers. It closes at 8 p.m, so there is another late night walk home avoided.
5. Hubbard
Did someone say controversy? Yes, we did. This was added solely to cause a stir in the Sparty’s community. Hubbard has the grill, is the furthest east, and the stockroom is only accessible via elevator.
BUT . . .
It stands out from the rest.
You get to yell out order numbers, which is a way to vent the frustrations of even having to work the grill in the first place. Is the grease trap worth it? Probably not. But do those mozzarella sticks make up for everything? . . . Still probably not.
As opposed to a regular shift, there’s double the lovely people to trauma bond with at Hubbard. Brandy still reminisces about the many nights spent slaving over hot surfaces, building burgers and friendships. There’s not much to stock at this location, so most of your time will probably be spent running bags of french fries to the grill workers who are 20 orders behind.
Just don’t pick up a shift after a basketball game. You’ll probably cry at the grill line that wraps from one side of the building to the other.
In conclusion, this list is probably not what every worker agrees with. But we’re not every worker, we’re seasoned and also probably spoiled with how good it is to have Holden consistently on our regular schedules. Each location is unique: someone who dreads sunlight might like the windowless Union store, someone who is five episodes deep into Bridgerton might enjoy the one customer an hour at Kellogg. Do you like small spaces? Closets? Yeah, Wonders is probably your favorite.
Of course, we love working at Sparty’s. We’ve stuck it out this long, and have made great long-lasting friendships. This article wouldn’t be possible without a randomly assigned regular Monday mid-shift at Holden.
So, clock in for your shift, Sparty’s workers. We have combos to scan and IDs to tap.