Dining On Campus

Since 2011, the Ole Miss Dining Services have been keeping pace with the significant increase of population and demands for quality, healthy, and fast food for students, faculty, and staff at the University of Mississippi. You might have experience a sense of “over-population” while waiting in line at the Union. The Associated Press reported in 2011 “the University experienced a 20 percent growth in the freshmen class and an increase of the overall student body of 7 percent.” In the fall of 2013, Ole Miss topped yet another record enrollment. The University enrolled more than 22,000 students. Chancellor Dan Jones said, “Ole Miss, which has recorded increased student numbers for 19 straight years, is a testament to the quality and diversity of the University’s academic offerings.” Throughout campus, we are starting to notice more construction, bigger classes, and more freshmen dorms.

 Ole Miss students try to avoid the crowd in the Union by patiently waiting in the Panda Express line before noon.

The staggering increase of population poses challenges to Jason Phillips, Director of Operations for Ole Miss Dining Services. An Ole Miss student, Andrew Parker, had more to say about the situation, “I eat on campus at least five times a week. The lines in the Union get outrageous around lunch time, so I normally wait to eat either a late lunch or an early dinner.”

The Johnson Commons Dining Hall, better known as the JC, has upgraded the kitchen, dining facilities, and menu to better serve their customers.  Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served Monday through Friday with many appetizing choices.  For example, the JC menu offers an array of options such as a deli, pastas, pizzas, salads, soups, vegetables and desserts. Multiple checkouts allow faster service to customers with demanding schedules. For the customers convenience, the JC accepts many types of payments including: Meal Plans, Flex Dollars, Cash, Credit Cards, Debit Cards and Ole Miss Express.
In the last few years, the Student Union Food Court, better know as the Union, has added more restaurants to meet customer needs. Conveniently located in the center of campus, the Union is home to many types of quality, fast food restaurants such as Burger Studio, Chick-fil-a, Topio’s Pizza, Toss It Up, Subway, Southern Tsunami Sushi, Pinkberry, and, of course Panda Express. The Union offers convenience, a variety of foods, seven day per week food, and fast service. The Union is a popular spot to be during lunch hours, as students are rushing to get food. Also, you can stop by the Union to check your mailbox and visit the Ole Miss Bookstore.