Liberty University’s new dining hall is home to 27 food stations

Liberty University has something new in store this fall: a 120,000-square-foot, two-story dining facility.

The revamped Reber-Thomas Dining Center can seat up to 2,700 diners and is home to 27 distinct food stations. Those include a bake shop with gluten-free options, an allergen-friendly area and an exhibition kitchen that will offer cooking classes.

In addition, students looking for something sweet can try the two Soft Serve Flavor Burst machines on site, which offer eight flavors of ice cream, including pina colada, cotton candy and mocha cappuccino.

To commemorate the space, Liberty Dining is hosting a grand opening event where students can try the team’s new signature pastry, the Eagle Claw, and ask questions of District Dietician Rachel Sanders. The celebration will also involve a catered dinner and movie for as many as 30 people.

“It’s already been a thrill to see students coming back on campus and loving the new dining center, as well as some pre-semester events being held in our new event space,” Marketing Manager Shelby Burton said in a statement. “We can tell the dining center is going to become a sought-out destination by students, faculty and staff, so we can’t wait to watch the sense of community grow as the semester commences.”

The new dining hall has seating for up to 2,700. / Photo courtesy of Liberty Dining

Last spring, Liberty Dining threw a farewell party for the dining hall’s former location in the Reber-Thomas building, where it had been situated for more than three decades. The celebration, which featured a food truck park, face painting and live music, was dubbed “Rotapalooza” after the dining hall’s longtime nickname: “The Rot.”

Dining services at the university, located in Lynchburg, Va., are run by Sodexo.