While the Student Union is being renovated, the Ole Miss Dining options are adjusting meal plans.
To ensure students still receive full benefits from their meal plan, all dining locations’ operational hours will be extended. A Chick-fil-A Mobile and POD Mobile have been purchased by the university and will be placed in areas on campus that experience heavy traffic flow during meal times. The Chick-fil-A Mobile will work like a food truck, whereas the POD Mobile is smaller, acting more as a food cart.
Other food vendors will not be allowed to park on campus, however.
For the spring 2017 semester only, block meal plans that previously allowed students to dine at the Union will now be available to use at The Pavilion, Freshii, Einstein Bros Bagels in Anderson Hall as well as the Chick-fil-A Mobile and POD Mobile.
The Chick-fil-A Mobile will be located in front of Weir Hall during the spring semester. Its operational hours are 10 a.m. until 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
Freshman Bailey Griffin said she was concerned about the possibility of backed-up lines at the Chick-fil-A Mobile.
“While I think the Chick-fil-A Mobile will be great, the lines are going to be long, and it might cause an inconvenience for some,” Griffin said. “Having to go through or around lines might be hard to do.”
Amy Greenwood, the marketing coordinator of Ole Miss Dining Services, said the Chick-fil-A Mobile has been placed in a location central to other dining options, and dining is prepared to make changes as needed.
“(Chick-fil-A Mobile) is centrally located on campus near other food locations such as the Rebel Market, Freshii and Dodo’s (Pizza), so there are several other options for students as well,” Greenwood said. “We are prepared to make strategic adjustments according to student traffic patterns.”
Greenwood also said the structure of the meal plans will remain the same, but students will now be allowed to use their block meal plans at dining locations that did not accept them previously.
“Structurally, nothing is changing,” Greenwood said. “Students with Rebel 100 Plus 1 will maintain a block of 100 meals. Students with Rebel 50 Plus 1, Spring Greek 50 and Upperclassmen 50 meal plans will have a block of 50 meals. The only difference is block meals will be available at the Rebel Market, the Marketplace at the Residential College, breakfast or lunch at the Grill at 1810 or an $8 equivalency of menu items at Freshii, Einstein Brothers Bagels, Raising Cane’s, Steak ‘n Shake, Chick-fil-A Mobile and P.O.D. Mobile.”
Ole Miss Dining made a recent announcement on Twitter about a new option for food on campus. “Starting Spring 17 we will be serving Dodo’s Pizza out of Weir Hall!” Ole Miss Dining said in a tweet.
Sophomore elementary education major Alex Schneider, a big Dodo Pizza fan, is looking forward to the eatery coming to campus.
“I’m very excited that Dodo’s Pizza is going to be in Weir Hall because it is good pizza, and it will be nice to have another option besides Papa John’s,” Schneider said.
If renovations stay on schedule, dining options in the new Student Union will open in the fall. A fully operational McAllister’s and Which Wich will be two new additions to the Union’s food options.
Ole Miss Dining would like for students to stay updated about information and locations of the food mobiles during the semester by following @ole_missdining on Twitter.
