Wagamama—which specializes in ramen-style noodle dishes, udon bowls, and other various stir-fried concoctions—picked the two Massachusetts locations both because of their East Coast proximity to company headquarters in London and because they had found a receptive audience.

Ryan G. Orley ’10 has been counting down the days until the new attraction opens it doors.

“I’ve always enjoyed noodles, and I have been fortunate enough to be in Europe and try it,” Orley said. “It’s just delicious.”

But even with a loyal following and moderate prices—the average meal costs about $11 at the Boston location, according to the restaurant’s Web site—Orley said it would be hard to predict Wagamama’s success.

“I feel like every restaurant that opens in the square is successful initially because its’s new and exciting,” Orley said. “But once you get past that initial ‘wow’ factor, it’s hard to say.”

[T]here is no way to extend dining hall hours without increasing the $4,618 per semester board fee paid by each student... We’re willing to pay a bit more for better service, and we’d hazard to guess that a vast majority of students would agree... We could stick with the current system, and continue to complain about irrational and restrictive mealtimes indefinitely, or we could bite the bullet, pay the cost, and reap the benefits.