Carpentry and Woodworking - Stain or Oil Edge-Glued Wood Counter

I have decided to use a edge-glued pine product as a counter top surface for a breakfast bar type thing in my rental. I know that this is probably not the best surface to use, but it seems to be the least expensive quick fix that would look nice and it doesn't need to last forever. Originally, I was going to use granite tiles, but everything else in my renovation has taken longer and expenses have been high and I need to just finish it up. Maybe I'll do the granite next time...

They have these boards at Lowe's in a variety of sizes, and one that is exactly the size I need: 16' x 96'. It is 3/4" thick and I am going to glue and screw it to 3/4" plywood to prevent warping, then wrap it with pine trim. It will definitely look better than what is there, which is basically MDF with a cheap, wood grain laminate that reminds me of shelf liner.

I'm trying to decide if I should stain it and use a polyurethane finish or rub in mineral oil and beeswax like people do with butcher blocks. They sell these panels in "paint ready" and "stain ready", and I will be getting the "stain ready". The counter isn't where the sink and stove are, but on the other side of the kitchen dividing it from the family room. Obviously, people will be putting drinks there, etc..., but I will let the tenants know that it shouldn't be used as a cutting board. If they do - oh well, it's only $32 for the panel.

What would you do?

Polyurethane finish - with or without stain. A much more durable surface, especially for service near a wet bar.

I second George's suggestion regarding the harder finish. BUT, your telling tenants not to use the surface as a cutting board......good luck.
I used a plywood base, with cbu and then 12 x12 tile from HD for about 59 cents each, banded it with 1x oak. I didn't leave a grout line, but grouted it with unsanded grout. Made a super countertop for my rental cabin. Material cost for about 24' of counter was about $180 max. Took a day and a half to do. (drying time)

I second George's suggestion regarding the harder finish. BUT, your telling tenants not to use the surface as a cutting board......good luck.
I used a plywood base, with cbu and then 12 x12 tile from HD for about 59 cents each, banded it with 1x oak. I didn't leave a grout line, but grouted it with unsanded grout. Made a super countertop for my rental cabin. Material cost for about 24' of counter was about $180 max. Took a day and a half to do. (drying time)

Everything takes me longer!

Was that just ceramic tile? One of the issues that put me off with the granite was that the counter needs to be about 16" wide, and most of the granite tiles I found available was 12" x 12". Even with special order stuff there weren't many options available bigger - I found some 18" x 18", which I would have had to do more cutting with either of those, and more waste, so I kept looking for 16" x 16" - black was about all I found. I read that marble and travertine weren't recommended for counters, and the granite sounded like a real nice touch, but maybe next time.

One piece of wood sounds just fine right now. Are there polyurethane finishes that are better for not leaving rings from beverage glasses? It seems like some furniture does better than others without coasters...

They sell tile cutters, too. And if it is a kitchen counter it probably is 24" overall, not 16. Cutting the tile won't matter since you will be banding it with another wood product, the edges won't show.

It's not really a counter - more like a homemade bar - it is higher than counter top height and the current top is 16" wide - I can go to 17.5" wide but if it goes wider than that it will get in the way of things.