Dining Services Renovations FAQ

Q. What, exactly, is being renovated?
The university is renovating the campus dining venues located in Elrod Commons - the Marketplace and Café 77.

Q. When does the renovation begin?
Renovation of the Marketplace and Café 77 will begin Feb. 18, 2023, during the Washington Break, and continue through summer 2023. Both locations will be back online serving at full capacity for Fall Term 2023.

Q. Are there still on-campus dining options available during the renovation?
Yes. The dining options and menus that are currently available to students, faculty and staff at the Marketplace and Café 77 will continue to be made available at other locations on campus while the renovations are taking place.

Foodside, Fireside, the Brief Stop, the E-Café, and the Tea House will also remain available to all students, including first-year students, and faculty and staff.

Q. How long will the renovation take?
The first phase of the renovation will last through the summer of 2023. The Marketplace and Café 77 will be back online and serving at full capacity in August 2023.

The second phase of the project will expand seating capacity within the Marketplace and add outdoor terrace seating surrounding Café 77. This phase will take place during the 2023-2024 academic year but will not affect dining operations.

Q. How will the Dining Services staff be impacted by the renovation?
The employment of our Dining Services staff will not be impacted by these changes; however, some employees may work in a different venue than where they have been traditionally assigned. Additionally, the university has leased the former Country Cookin restaurant to handle its baking and catering operations.

Q. Will the Marketplace and Café 77 dining options still be available?
The dining options and menus that are currently available to students, faculty and staff at the Marketplace and Café 77 will continue to be made available at other locations on campus while the renovations are taking place.

Marketplace operations will move to Evans Hall and will be open seven days a week with hours from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Friday and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

An alternative Café 77 concept called Evans Late Night will be offered seven days a week in Evans Hall from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. and feature similar menu options to Café 77. Additionally, the entry area to Evans Hall will feature a grab-and-go emporium like what is currently available within Café 77. The emporium will operate 7 a.m. to 2 a.m. Monday-Friday and 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Q. Where will the Marketplace be located?
Marketplace operations will move to Evans Hall. Evans will provide a traditional seated dining experience and will be open seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Friday and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Q. Where will Café 77 be located?
An alternative Café 77 concept called Evans Late Night will be offered seven days a week in Evans Hall from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. and feature similar menu options to Café 77. Additionally, the entry area to Evans Hall will feature a grab-and-go emporium like what is currently available within Café 77. The emporium will operate from 7 a.m. to 2 a.m. Monday-Friday and 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Q. Where can I find grab-and-go options?
The entry area to Evans Hall will feature a grab-and-go emporium like what is currently available within Café 77. The emporium will operate from 7 a.m. to 2 a.m. Monday-Friday and 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Q. Will the services at other dining venues change?
Foodside will operate seven days a week and will begin offering lunch. Foodside will be open daily from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Fireside's hours will remain unchanged, serving from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., seven days a week. The hours for Brief Stop will remain the same, serving from 7:45 a.m. to 2:45 p.m., Monday-Friday.

E-Café will offer expanded hours, from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday-Friday. The Tea House will offer expanded hours, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday-Friday.

You can view hours of operation for all dining options here.

Q. What dining options are available to first-year students?
All students - including first-year students - will have the option of utilizing their meal swipes in any of the campus dining venues with their standard dining plans.

Q. Will W&L continue to offer catering services and will there be a venue to handle special events now that Evans Dining Hall will be serving daily meals?
Yes, W&L will continue to provide catering services. Special events will now be held in the special events tent that will be located on Canaan Green. This tent will include a floor and protection from outdoor elements.

Q. What if I am staying in Lexington for the summer? What are my dining options?
During summer 2023, E-Café will offer expanded hours so that faculty, staff and students will continue to have a campus dining option. These adjusted operating hours will be announced during Spring Term. Evans Dining Hall will also remain open for most of the summer.

Q. I have a question about the upcoming changes. Who can I contact?
Any questions about the upcoming changes or dining options on campus can be directed to diningservices@wlu.edu.