When I heard about the new noodle place opening on Massillon Road, I was ecstatic. First, I love noodles and carbs in any form. Secondly, I have never been to a “fast food” style restaurant where their main product is noodles. Noodles and Company opened its doors on April 17, 2024. Obviously, I went the very first day with my friend on FLEX to see what this place was all about and if it was truly worth the hype everyone had given it.
To begin, the menu has a fair amount of options for customers. The variety ranges from Classic Italian dishes to Asian Noodles to Zoodles (Zucchini Noodles); there really is something for everyone. However, the first thing I noticed was the restaurant only caters to gluten-sensitive customers, which means the staff is unable to ensure there is no cross-contamination or contact with gluten-free products and food that contain gluten. As someone who technically can’t eat gluten, this was a slight letdown. I understand how it would be difficult to ensure gluten-free dishes don’t come into contact at all with gluten, but this limits the number of people who can eat at Noodles and Company.
I ordered a larger meal than I typically would to be able to judge the quantity of food to price ratio. My order consisted of a small LEANguini Rosa (added meatballs), a side of their Wisconsin Mac and Cheese, a side Caesar salad, and a Rice Crispy for dessert. This Rice Crispy comes in the shape of a triangle/pyramid although I don’t know the significance of the shape, it tastes exactly like a homemade Rice Crispy treat. I would definitely buy it again. Next, the Mac and Cheese was okay in my opinion. There isn’t much that was groundbreaking about it, yet the noodles were surprisingly stiff, and the cheese sauce was very plain. I would eat it again, but definitely not my first choice. Finally, the Caesar salad was solid, not much to say as it is a staple item which takes a lot to mess up.
My total was $20.45; for me, this seems pretty fair. One thing I loved about this was how you could get whatever noodle dish you want in different sizes, which takes down the cost if you get a small versus a regular size. My friend, Julia Viola ‘24, got the Japanese Pan Noodles and even though these have a “spice warning” on the menu they didn’t do much, this is coming from a person who can’t handle spice at all usually.
The staff-to-customer interactions were pretty okay. However, there was only one staff member on the registers. As it was opening day when I went, this seemed odd considering the line was almost out the door. I ended up ordering online to speed up the process which didn’t take that long. My order was ready within 10-12 minutes which makes Noodles and Company a good place for students with FLEX passes to go and grab lunch. Overall, I give Noodles and Company a three-star rating. In my mind, you get what’s expected from here. It’s a “fast food” style place which leaves more doubt about the quality of what I am buying. If you haven’t tried Noodles and Company yet, I highly recommend trying it for yourself.