ISU Dining will open new dining center Lance and Ellie’s Wednesday. 

In early 2017, ISU Dining made a list of goals outlining what the department wanted to achieve by the end of the year. The list included the addition of new meal plans, food trucks, opening Friley Windows and building Lance and Ellie’s.

Using a play on Iowa State’s swans, Lancelot and Elaine, in the name, the sub shop is a completely original idea from Iowa State and ISU Dining. 

“We wanted to do our own branding,” dining director Mohamed Ali said when asked about the choice to shut Subway down. Subway closed in order for ISU Dining to build what they hope is the first of many restaurants across the Iowa State campus.

“Right now Lance and Ellie’s is exclusive to the M.U., but the department plans to expand across campus when we have space available and depending on how successful it is,” Ali said.  “We received a lot student feedback after asking the student through a sample survey. Then we showed them idea of what we came up with and got student council’s support for the project.”

All meals are made from scratch with Boar’s Head deli meat and the menu will include vegan options as well. Students are also allowed to include or exclude any items on the sandwiches and are able to see their sandwiches being made as they order them. 

ISU Dining hopes to do a lot with their first exclusive restaurant including online delivery, opening multiple locations across Iowa State and using express meals at the restaurant. For now, however, Lance and Ellie’s will be a stop and order restaurant until it proves itself a popular spot.