UT Dallas Dining Hall

The Dining Hall has added 100 seats and repositioned popular food stations to ease traffic flow. 

UT Dallas has expanded its dining capacitiy and added more food service options to feed the increased numbers of students on campus this fall.

The University has 1,245 seats now for on-campus dining, a 49 percent increase since fall 2010. The bulk of the seating is in the main Dining Hall, and the Comet Café and lounge area of the Student Union.

About 100 extra seats have been added to the Dining Hall’s faculty/staff dining area. To further accommodate more students in the Dining Hall, staff have added a third soda fountain station and repositioned popular cooking stations to open up traffic flow in the food court.

“We are very excited about the growth of our University, and we will continue to evaluate and improve our services. Students, staff and faculty are encouraged to bring suggestions to our monthly food committee meetings,” said Carrie Chutes, manager of auxiliary services.

Options besides the main dining hall include the Comet Café. A redesigned checkout area with six registers will help speed things up, including two faster lanes for “plastic” card purchases.  

The Pub at UT Dallas

The Pub will have 20 additional seats and more staffers working during the busiest hours.

Down the hall, the Grab and Go area now boasts a freestyle beverage machine with more than 100 drink options, as well as sandwiches and a variety of salads.  

In The Pub, 20 more seats will be added to the dining area. Two registers will be staffed during peak hours, with one dedicated to drink orders. Roped areas will direct diners through the order and pick-up process.

On The Pub’s expanded menu are a variety of burgers, quesadillas, fish and chips, and grilled sandwiches. Desserts also are being offered for the first time.

A food truck and a smaller food cart will take meals to outside locations. A limited-item food cart will serve hot dogs in front of the plinth. The menu for the food truck has been expanded to include fish tacos, burritos, beef brisket tacos and chicken sandwiches.

Two new food truck locations provide more options for quick meals:

  • At lunchtime, a food truck will be parked between the Naveen Jindal School of Management and the new Arts and Technology Building on Drive A, and will accept cash and credit cards only.
     
  • A late-night location between Residence Halls North and West will be open until midnight and will accept Comet Cards along with cash and credit cards.
UT Dallas food truck

Food trucks will stop at two new campus locations.

The University has also responded to student requests for more vegetarian options and “greener” takeout options. The Pub, for instance, will have a black bean burger, while the food truck menu will include burritos with tofu and chalupas with hummus and vegetables.

And in the Dining Hall, a “to go” program will encourage students to return food cartons for reuse.

“Students requested these changes based on survey results. The dining services team at UT Dallas is pleased to provide these enhancements for all students and faculty dining on campus,” said Alison Jenkins, marketing manager for Chartwells Higher Education Dining Services.

For all dining options and meal times, visit the Dining Services website.