ISU Dining Director Mohamed Ali upcoming changes to dining including updates to the Memorial Union Food Court including, as well as other dining locations at Thursday night’s IRHA meeting.

Updates at ISU Dining locations were also given by ISU Dining Executive Chef Scott Bruhn including ISU Dining’s new food truck which will be seen on campus in March.

Students can get a sneak peak of the food selection on Sunday. IRHA’s Fall Fest will wrap up with a showcase of food from the new food truck named “Dinkey’s” on the Union Drive front patio.

The Memorial Union, on top of adding a salad and hot food bar next fall, is opening Lance and Ellie’s, a sandwich shop ISU Dining is hoping to open in January.

Lance and Ellie’s, which is taking over the old subway next to the MU Food Court, will be serving sandwiches, wraps and salads.

Existing restaurants operated by ISU Dining may also see some changes by next Fall. ISU Dining is currently looking at remodeling Clyde’s, The Hub, and the Design Café.

Clyde’s will be adding burgers, French fries and Milkshakes to their menu as part of their remodeling. The Hub will be given a Mediterranean themed remodel, and the menu will include gyros, shwarma and fresh pita baked in house. Design Café will be remodeled and the menu will be Mexican themed.

IRHA representatives voiced a few concerns regarding the changes. One topic that came up was how these updated locations would work with ISU Dining’s meal plan system.

Ali responded by saying ISU Dining is looking at making changes to meal plans that would give students less express meals but more dining dollars, offering more flexibility at these locations. 

Ali also added that changes would be done with student input taken into consideration. Ali thanked Bruhn for all the work that’s gone into the plans for updating many of ISU Dining’s locations.

“Here at Iowa State we are very lucky to have someone like Scott,” Ali said.

IRHA has been embracing the Fall season with their annual Fall Fest, a week of events, activities, and competitions centered around residence hall life.

Carmen Frederick, ISU Senior and Director of Events for IRHA, shared that Fall Fest is a way to thank residence hall students for creating a positive environment at Iowa State.

“We want to make sure we are giving back to our community that we built here,” Frederick said.

Fall Fest started on Monday with giving out reusable cups at Friley, Birch, Welch and Roberts. On Tuesday IRHA provided a free breakfast at Towers, Wednesday was a zorb ball tournament at Richardson Court and Thursday was pumpkin painting at Carrie Lane.

Frederick feels that the event has been a great way for IRHA to get their name out to students, and wants to remind students that if they have any ideas for future events they can bring.

“It’s been going phenomenally,” Frederick said.

Upcoming events include a Halloween movie marathon at the Memorial Union Friday night, and a board game and Super Smash Bros. tournament at Geoffory Hall Saturday night. The tournament is sponsored by Mayhem Comics who will be giving the winner a Wii U.