UT-Dallas upgrades retail options, meal plans

The University of Texas at Dallas is adding new retail dining venues and also expanding the flexibility of its meal plans with a new Meal Exchange program that allows users to trade one dining hall meal swipe per day for a retail meal combo. The fall 2015 semester will see the debuts of four fast-food choices in the renovated Student Union Dining Hall, which is being converted into an open, food-court-style venue. Also new will be a second restaurant, an IHOP Express, at the Parking Structure 3 location, and a Ben and Jerry’s ice cream shop in the Comet Café.

The renovated Student Union will feature a Panda Express, Moe's Southwest Grill, a larger Chick-fil-A  and 2Mato, a pizza/pasta concept of dining services company Chartwells, each with its own cash register and checkout counter for increased efficiency. Meanwhile, the IHOP Express, which joins the existing Einstein Bros Bagels unit in Parking Structure 3, will offer indoor and patio seating for up to 140 people, along with an extensive menu with options for breakfast, lunch, dinner and late-night dining.

“These renovations are part of our overall strategy to enhance the services available to our faculty, staff and students,” said Dr. Calvin Jamison, vice president for the Office of Administration, in announcing the moves. “This is another important step in the transformation of our campus and creating the infrastructure and amenities needed to support our rapidly growing University.”

As for the newly flexible meal plan structure, “We want those on meal plans to be able to take full advantage of all the new retail offerings on campus,” says Carrie Chutes, assistant director of food and retail services. “The Meal Exchange program helps us offer more variety, value and flexibility for our meal plan users.”

Contact Mike Buzalka at [email protected]