Residential restaurants, menus get major changes over the summer
Over the summer, the Central Michigan University Residential Restaurants have received changes, courtesy of the new food provider, Chartwells.
The dining halls haven't received extensive changes but do have new signage to emulate the new names for each restaurant and food station.
The former Fresh Food Company in Woldt Hall is now known as Dine & Connect. The Merrill Residential Restaurant is now Social House. The dining hall in Towers was renamed The Eatery from Real Food on Campus. On North Campus, Robinson Dining is now United Table.
In addition, the food stations have been renamed as well. For example, in Dine & Connect there is now Homestyle, which is where Southern Kitchen was in Fresh and will have similar food options.
The major changes in the on-campus dining this year are within the menus, which have been in the works since July 1.
The menus are similar to previous ones with a more prevalent focus on vegetables, even for breakfast.
In addition to incorporating more vegetables, Chartwells is putting more of a focus on food that avoids gluten and providing meals that avoid the top eight allergens.
The Food and Drug Administration identified milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat and soybean as the top eight major food allergens.
In Dine & Connect, the Pure Eats station is dedicated solely to foods that avoid those allergens. There is also a station called Made Without Gluten that includes cereals, breads and waffle mix that are classified as gluten free.
Some things are staying the same, including the pasta and deli stations which are now called Cucina and Deli 989. Both stations are in the same locations as their old counterparts and will still exclusively serve pizza and pasta and sub sandwiches respectively.
The other three dining halls have received similar changes to their menus and stations. All four locations will open for their regular hours starting Friday, Aug. 27.
On-campus franchises
Although the only on-campus dining options opened at the beginning of move-in week were Dine & Connect and Starbucks, several other locations will be opening by the start of classes.
ShakeSmart, which filled Burrito Bowl's old location in the Bovee University Center with hundreds of canisters of whey protein powder, opened on Wednesday, Aug. 25 as freshman arrived on campus.
Subway will reopen on Saturday, Aug. 28 with the other two continuing franchises, Which Wich and Einstein Bros. Bagels, joining on Monday, Aug. 30.
Amanda Armstrong, senior director of marketing at Chartwells' Central Division, said the final franchises opening in time for the start of the school year will be the Ace Sushi and Wild Pie.
"Wild Pie will be taking over the retail space within the Woldt Market and serving handcrafted pizzas and partnering with Ace Sushi," Armstrong said. "This location will open on Aug. 30."
Following the first day of school by just a week, the Campus Coffee & Tea in the Health Professions Building will open on Tuesday, Sept. 7.
The campus is also anticipating a new coffee shop to replace Java City and open up in September.
"Ponder Coffee will be taking over Java City in the Library," Armstrong said. "Opening is slated for Sept. 17."
The on campus cafe would be Ponder’s third Mount Pleasant location. The Franklin Street shop near campus has been closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, while the downtown shop on Broadway Street has remained open. Owner Christie Cromar said she is not ready to discuss details of the new location because of their pending contract.
“We just can’t talk about that right now,” Cromar said. “We don’t have a contract signed and there’s a lot up in the air right now so I can’t. I don’t have enough knowns right now.”
Due to construction delays, all franchises located in the Down Under Food Court will be opening mid-semester.
"We thank everyone for their patience as we prepare to open the Down Under Food Court on October 12," Armstrong said. "The unfortunate delays have been due to the sourcing of materials as it pertains to the flooring."
The franchises in the food court will include Freddy's, Slim Chickens, Paper Lantern, Tu Taco and Build Pizza.
