At the peak of lunch crowds on Thursday at about 12:10 p.m., the Usdan University Center was evacuated when the smoke alarm went off. The problem had to do with an over-grill hood, the piece of stainless steel that sucks greasy air away from the grills.

“What happened was there was a malfunction in the hood, and the grill kept grilling, and it set off the smoke alarm,” said Bon Appétit Regional District Manager Delmar Crim.

As the alarm went off, a tricky situation seemed to develop, as many students who had paid for meals but not yet eaten exited the building. The good folks at Bon Appétit, however, had a plan.

“We gave each of them a red, delicious apple as a key back in to show that they had already paid,” Crim said. “Yes, they were allowed to eat them.”

After a ten-minute wait, students and staff returned to Usdan and continued the day, crisis averted.