CCU students, faculty and staff have new food choices
By Nicole Pippo
Various dining facilities on Coastal Carolina University’s campus got “facelifts” this summer, and a new dining option has opened. According to Tarvarus Roussell, marketing manager for #CCUFoodCrew, the changes were mostly cosmetic, focusing on painting and updating the look of some dining locations.
“During the spring semester, the #CCUFoodCrew management team sat down and discussed what improvements we could make to campus dining based on feedback that we received through our diningstyles surveys and ‘Voice of the Consumer’ platforms,” said Roussell.
Based on that feedback, the following enhancements took place during the summer months.
Greens by Day
Greens by Day, a daytime element to Pie by Night, offers a healthy menu including smoothies, flatbreads and salads. Greens by Day is open Monday through Friday, 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is in the same location as Pie by Night in the HTC Center, and Pie by Night will serve its normal late-night menu. “We wanted to add a healthy option and daytime component for those guests utilizing the workout facility at HTC,” said Roussell.
Restaurant Rotation replaces Queso Corner
Queso Corner in CINO Grille has been replaced by Restaurant Rotation. The first Restaurant Rotation will be Chopsticks, a modern stir-fry restaurant, which opened Aug. 13 and will run through Sept. 16.
The restaurants will rotate on a monthly basis, with menus offering Asian food, barbecue, Mediterranean food and ramen noodles. Restaurant Rotation was completed in early August, and it still accepts meal swipes. It’s in the exact same spot as Queso Corner, but has been painted for a refreshed look.
“Based on surveys, students asked for more variety, and we felt this concept would be the best option for that. Restaurant Rotation features on-trend food, delivering a one-of-a-kind culinary destination,” said Roussell.
Grille Works refresh
“We painted [Grille Works] and changed it because Freshens [which is located next to it] is very bright, and that corner was very dark,” said Sandra Baldridge-Adrian, director of contractual and business services. This facelift makes CINO Grille more uniform in design and more inviting. Grille Works is serving the same type of food as before, including breakfast and burgers, chicken sandwiches and fries for lunch.
Road Rooster
“Everyone’s favorite food truck, Road Rooster, is back on Prince Lawn in the fall,” said Roussell. Road Rooster did not operate consistently this past spring semester, due to technical problems.
The food truck is returning in the fall semester with its usual menu items, such as breakfast and pho bowls, stir fry, egg rolls, grilled cheese, and other popular lunch items. Road Rooster will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, and 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Fridays.
Facelifts at Freshens and Einstein Bros. Bagels
Freshens, a healthy, fast-casual spot inside CINO Grille, and Einstein Bros. Bagels, located in Brittain Hall, were closed briefly in the summer so that small tweaks could be made to those facilities. The facelifts included adding fresh coats of paint and digital menu boards that can be changed more often.
Hicks Dining Hall Dish Return
The entire dish-return system in Hicks Dining Hall is now faster, easier to use and more environmentally friendly. Hicks was closed from May commencement until Orientation started in July so that a new, more efficient dish-return system could be installed, along with a new dishwasher. “The dish return is a lot like the one in Chauncey’s Choice, except it’s bigger,” said Baldridge-Adrian.
“You just put your plates on the dish return [which uses rotating shelves for the items to be placed on], so there is no longer a need for trays,” said Baldridge-Adrian. “We have a really cool system where napkins and all other food waste go into a pulper, which grinds it all up, and we dump that into our compost bins to be composted. We also recycle [when possible], so we are getting away from having trash cans anywhere in the dining hall.”
This upgrade comes after three years of planning and careful timing, according to Baldridge-Adrian. The previous tray return was inefficient because sometimes the belt did not work and patrons had to scrape the food off the trays. The new dish return makes it easier and quicker for students to return their plates, and it will lighten the burden on staff members. This system also helps CCU’s sustainability efforts because it decreases water usage along with waste.
“Hicks also got some cosmetic improvements that we are sure guests will enjoy,” according to Roussell, including additional soft seating and wall décor to enhance the dining experience.
To stay connected and in the know about campus dining, follow @CCUFoodCrew on Twitter and Instagram.
