What to expect when dining in the Student Union Building this semester.
Students at Texas Tech University can expect changes to the Student Union Building's (SUB) dining options as they return to campus this semester. The SUB's food court is undergoing a large renovation and will be under construction until this summer.
“When we reopen the food court, we will provide new offerings such as Pizza Hut, Boar's Head Deli with in-person and mobile ordering capabilities and a new grab-and-go retail option with high-quality foods such as fresh sushi,” said Alan Cushman, manager of Hospitality Services.
The renovations are coming in response to five years of rapid enrollment growth at Texas Tech. Hospitality Services seeks to provide cutting-edge dining options to keep up with demand.
“Students are here to pursue their academic goals,” Cushman said. “But it's hard to do that if the food choices don't meet their desires. We're always looking to bring in new choices.”
While the food court will be closed this semester, other dining options remain open in the SUB.
“Chick-fil-A will remain open, as will the Union Bistro, Sam's Place and Smart Choices,” Cushman said. “Also, students are invited to visit The Commons across the street from the SUB, located in Talkington Hall where there are various dining options to choose from.”
There was a time when people eating in the SUB were looking to sit down and relax. While that is still the case for some, the increase of students on campus has others looking for quicker, on-the-go options. Ultimately, the renovations are to serve students who cannot wait in longer lines for food.
“When the food court reopens, I believe the campus community will be really pleased,” Cushman said. “Down the road this also will allow us to bring in more national brands and continue to give the Red Raider community the very best offerings.”
When it comes to health and safety concerns while dining, hospitality is maintaining best practices.
“We are seeing a spike right now in the Omicron variant of COVID-19,” Cushman said. “Hospitality is committed to keeping our campus community safe and that is not changing. Before the pandemic began, we were already operating in a very safe and clean way; now we're even more diligent.”
In addition to changes in the SUB, students will see the Einstein Bros. Bagels in the Jerry S. Rawls College of Business reopen this semester. However, individual kiosks in academic buildings will likely remain closed due to staffing shortages and safety concerns.
