Fall semester Campus Dining update

Pictured above is a noodle bowl prepared to order at Noodle Nook, an Asian-concept food outlet located in the Huddle Mart in LaFortune. It's one of several new dining options on campus, including food trucks and Farmer's Fridge ready-made dishes. See photo gallery at the end of the page. (Photos by Matt Cashore, University of Notre Dame)

Like many faculty and staff at Notre Dame, you’re probably hoping this semester looks more like fall 2019 than fall 2020. Maybe you’re eagerly anticipating lunch dates with colleagues at favorite campus restaurants, like Legends. 

Here’s some friendly advice: Check the Campus Dining hours page before you trek to the other side of campus. 

For example, due to current staffing levels, Legends will not open at the beginning of the academic year. Charron Family Commons in O’Shaughnessy and Café Commons in Mendoza will remain closed for the same reason.

Now hiring

The division of University Enterprises and Events (UEE), which operates campus dining and retail outlets, recently hired more than 150 new colleagues to support this fall’s core University activities. It’s looking to hire another 150.

“The current labor market continues to be challenging and competitive,” Micki Kidder, the division’s vice president, said. “We will continue to aggressively recruit new team members, but have evaluated our current capacity and are making necessary adjustments to fall services.” 

UEE will focus its work on core areas such as student dining, St. Michael’s Laundry, the Morris Inn, key fall events and meals for the priests and brothers of Holy Cross. As hiring increases, Kidder said, UEE will expand hours and services.

Alternative dining

Before you head off campus for lunch, consider some new options right here.

An Asian-concept outlet called Noodle Nook recently opened inside Huddle Mart in LaFortune. It’s located in the corner of the store where the ice cream counter used to be. Meanwhile, you’ll find fresh, ready-to-go Farmer’s Fridge meals in the refrigerated sections of Huddle Mart, both dining halls and Café de Grasta in Grace Hall. Enjoy the offerings of food trucks that UEE has invited to set up outside Duncan Student Center every day between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Check dining.nd.edu for more details.

Adjusting to the times

Below are a variety of adjustments UEE has implemented for the start of the fall semester. 

• Rather than ordering at the counter at campus retail food outlets, place food orders through the GrubHub mobile app or by using the kiosks in Duncan Student Center, LaFortune Student Center, the Hesburgh Library or the Hesburgh Center for International Studies. Notre Dame has removed fees on GrubHub, so you can use mobile ordering for pickup completely free, on-campus, with no limits.
• Dining halls are open with pre-COVID service styles and communal dining, including popular items such as stir fry, salad bars and plant-based and gluten-free options.  UEE will monitor COVID levels and adjust self-service options only if necessary, and in collaboration with St. Joseph County health officials.  
• Only students, faculty and staff with meal plans will be permitted in the dining halls during the fall semester.
• Legends will not open at the beginning of the academic year. Legends will serve as an event venue, primarily for student activities and in the courtyard on home football game days. External caterers are permitted if Legends is used as an event space. Please call 631-1400 to reserve.
• Retail dining in LaFortune and Duncan Student Center will continue. Operating hours have been adjusted, primarily on weekday evenings and weekends. Check the operating hours on dining.nd.edu.
• To ensure the student dining experience is not diluted, UEE will provide multiple food trucks immediately outside both student centers every day. Specific trucks and hours will be communicated on dining.nd.edu. Food trucks will remain available only until additional UEE colleagues are hired. All approved food trucks will be permitted by the St. Joseph County Health Department and engage in robust University safety audits.
• Certain retail outlets — specifically, Charron Family Commons in O’Shaughnessy Hall and Cafe Commons in Mendoza — will remain closed until further notice. 
• Grab ’n go offerings (e.g., fresh fruit, Farmer’s Fridge salads, etc.) will be expanded at both South and North Dining Halls and will also be available at Huddle Mart in LaFortune and Café de Grasta in Grace Hall.

Catering

If you are planning a catered event, please keep the following in mind:

• UEE is prioritizing support for faculty, staff and student events. However, any event that is not scheduled at least two weeks in advance cannot be guaranteed. Moreover, there may be times that University Catering cannot support events scheduled more than two weeks in advance. Contact UEE at 631-1400 to discuss event or catering needs.
• If University Catering is unable to provide services, UEE will partner to provide external caterer information. In addition to current campus-approved caterers (Navarre Hospitality, LaSalle Catering and Levy), UEE has expanded approved external caterers (e.g., Mission BBQ, Fat Cap Smoked Meats, etc.) and are adding more approved caterers during this unprecedented time. Contact UEE at 631-1400 to discuss any event or catering needs.

Originally published by Gwen O'Brien, Internal Communications at ndworks.nd.edu on August 24, 2021.