Many changes coming to campus dining

 After a year of rumors and confusion among students, Panda Express is coming to Gonzaga this fall. In addition to this, other big changes by Sodexo, Gonzaga's food service provider, will be seen throughout campus eateries.

After more than eight years of campus service, Pandini's, a Sodexo-owned Italian restaurant, will be replaced by the food chain Panda Express. While the kitchen will undergo massive changes to fit the needs of Panda Express, the seating area and token fireplace will remain the same. Students will be able to use their meal plan's flex dollars and Bulldog Bucks at the facility.

According to Charles Wesley, Sodexo general manager, there has been an increase in student desire for an Asian food eatery on campus. Sodexo tried to satisfy this need by serving sushi at Cherry Blossom, the campus food venue located in the Crosby Student Center. The decision to bring Panda Express to Gonzaga was dependent on student input through surveys taken by Sodexo. 

"Panda Express was one of the favorites," Wesley said. "We think it's going to be very popular."

Since Sodexo is sub-contracting with Panda Express, they will bring in their own employees to run the restaurant. According to Wesley, however, Sodexo is "encouraging them to tap into the student workforce, so students should not be discouraged. We still need student workers."

Junior Christopher Andrews worked for Sodexo for two years, including work at Pandini's. "Pandini's was a fun environment to work in," Andrews said. "In my opinion it was the best retail dining facility on campus."

As a student, Andrews thinks the success of Panda Express on campus depends on the company's "prices and if they offer the full Panda menu." 

However, he also believes it will be very popular when it first opens. 

Panda Express is not the only change coming to campus food services. Starting this fall, students will no longer be able to use flex dollars to buy pizza from Dominos. Instead, there will be an on-campus pizza delivery system. Iggy's Pizza Pie, named after St. Ignatius, will be housed in Spikes, below Gonzaga's cafeteria, the Marketplace. Students will be able to eat in or call for delivery. 

"I expect students will have a concern about not having the flex dollar option for ordering pizza from off-campus vendors, but Sodexo has created a new recipe for pizza which has tested well," said Sue Weitz, Vice President of Student Life. 

Starting this fall, Spikes will be open for 24 hours on Friday and Saturday. It will offer breakfast, lunch, dinner, and late night dining. In addition to the new hours, it will  serve frozen yogurt in the New Freshens smoothie bar. 

Student growth was one of the reasons there will be so many changes at the food venues on campus. In order to help alleviate congestion at the Marketplace, Sodexo will also offer lunch-only dining in the Globe Room of Cataldo Hall. From Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., the facility will offer salads, deli sandwiches, soups, beverages and dessert. 

More food options and better time management for getting meals are two areas that Weitz believes will improve student life at Gonzaga. 

With the addition of Panda Express, Iggy's Pizza Pie, and Marketplace Express, students can expect to wait less and eat more.