We have the scoop: New on-campus dining options coming this fall
On Aug. 24, the university is hoping to welcome students back to campus ensuring the observation of six-foot social distancing practices, the usage of mandatory facial coverings and the enrollment of reduced class sizes.
Amid the new normal, students will find other improvements that may be more enticing. There are several new dining options the university community can enjoy patronizing this fall.
“Business Services and Panther Dining strive to always offer a variety of brands preferred by students, faculty and staff,” says Susana G. Brumfield, director of marketing and communications at FIU’s Business Services. “We take into account suggestions from Chartwells and feedback from the FIU community to engage with both local and national restaurants to determine if an on-campus location makes sense.
"This process brought about the new Pincho Factory, Caribbean Crave and Vicky Café at BBC.”
New to MMC
- Pincho Factory will replace Burger King at the Graham Center.
- Caribbean Crave will be added to the Graham Center Atrium and serve Jamaican patties, jerked specialties and other Caribbean delights.
- A food truck village will be located behind the Deuxieme Maison, where vendors will rotate and new seating options will be implemented.
- Half Moon Empanada will be expanding to additional kiosks between the Green Library and Chemistry and Physics building.
New to BBC
- Chick-Fil-A is coming to Roary’s Bay Café.
- Vicky Café is opening a kiosk in Academic Center 1, offering café favorites like Cuban coffee, signature pastelitos and croquetas.
Brumfield says patrons will also notice refreshed ambiences at Jamba Juice, Pollo Tropical, Café Bustelo, Subway, Sergio’s, Starbucks at MANGO, the patio at Chili’s and Starbucks at BBC. These improvements range from vibrant paint colors, new wall murals and new furniture to dedicated Grubhub pick-up stations to make mobile pick-up easier, and new equipment that will increase menu offerings.
She adds that processes and food delivery aspects will be altered upon reopening, implementing CDC guidelines to ensure the safety of the community.
Recent additions
Last fall, La Ventanita was MMC’s latest dining addition – an addition very symbolic of Cuban heritage present in South Florida. Other dining options welcomed to campus recently include: Panera Bread – noted for its diverse bakery-café menu; Beefsteak Foodtruck for plant-based meals; and The Salty Donut for artisan desserts and donuts on wheels.
“In these cases, our partners Chartwells and Barnes & Noble brought these ideas to us, and we engaged with the FIU community to determine their viability,” Brumfield says. "From focus groups and survey research to interviews with university stakeholders, we reviewed the research and carefully considered recommendations before deciding on new concepts to bring to campus.”
Brumfield welcomes patrons to share their feedback on current dining services at shopFIU Listens.
To keep up to date with the latest in campus dining, follow @fiu_foodlife on social channels. For a full list of operating hours and dining availabilities across all 3 campuses, check out the FIU Mobile app under ‘Places and Shops’. Visit shopFIU’s remote page to learn more about what’s open and other repopulation updates.