Aramark to Revamp the Campus Center
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By Karl Gao | May 4, 2026
The beloved dining options in the Campus Center that Great Danes enjoy will see some changes in the Fall 2026 semester. The upcoming semester will see the introduction of a new dining hall, a variety of retail-style dining experiences and the replacement of Discount Dollars with Damien Bucks.
The Campus Center renovations are scheduled to be completed by Fall 2026, according to Megan Chrostowski, Field Marketing Manager for Aramark. Great Dane Hospitality, in partnership with University Auxiliary Services (UAS), is welcoming the new renovations to “elevate the overall Campus Center experience” and to “better meet the evolving needs of today’s students.”
Ralf Miller, a sophomore majoring in history, expressed his enthusiasm for a revamped Campus Center providing a more vibrant space.
“I’d like to see a richer building, one that really captures the expansiveness of the hall. I think things could be even better that way, and could really inspire some awe in the students and faculty,” he said.
Chrostowski says the updates to the Campus Center are designed to “introduce a wider range of innovative dining concepts, increase variety and convenience, and create a more dynamic and engaging campus environment.”
Great Dane Hospitality and UAS are expecting to open a new “all-you-care-to-enjoy” dining hall named The District East in the Campus Center. The new retail-style dining location will offer different meal options available with one meal swipe.
The District East offerings include the following:
Capital Grill: All your classic grill favorites.
Food Lab: Four rotating weekly concepts including Calypso.
Nosh: A fresh, made-to-order deli.
Empire Slice: Authentic New York–style pizza.
Bittersweet: A full-service coffee and dessert bar (formerly the Sweet Shop).
The Market Bar: Fresh, customizable salads.
Create Smoothie: Build-your-own smoothie station.
Stress Less: Allergen-friendly, free from peanuts, tree nuts and gluten.
Alongside the implementation of The District East, Great Dane Hospitality and UAS are modifying numerous existing retail-style dining experiences in the Campus Center.
Corner Deli will turn into El Comal, introducing bold, Latin-inspired flavors.
Zoca will turn into Choolaah, a popular national Indian BBQ concept.
Calypso, Umai Fusion and Republic of Spice will be Jamal’s U, featuring Jamal’s Chicken and Halal Shack.
Greens to Go will turn into MicroGreens, relocating into the 518 Market (where the Sweet Shop is now) with a refreshed name and concept.
Umai Sushi and Greens to Go will turn into Bento, a new ramen and sushi destination.
Niko’s, Starbucks and Baba’s will remain unchanged.
The traditional residential dining halls are also seeing a change.
The State Quad dining hall will be rebranded to The Gathering Place, and the Indigenous Quad dining hall will be rebranded to Revive. Students are able to utilize their meal swipes or meal plan throughout all of the residential dining halls, as well as The District East dining hall.
J.T. Marupov, a freshman majoring in psychology and human development, expressed his interest in the new changes to the Campus Center. Marupov praised the convenience of The District East and expressed his necessity to be able to grab food before class while on campus.
A new concept is anticipated to open in the current Jamal’s Chicken location and will be open in Fall 2027.
Chrostowski stated that the current Discount Dollars program will be replaced in Fall 2026 with a declining balance system designated as Damien Bucks. The current Discount Dollars program offers a discount rate of 40% off at retail dining locations. The Damien Bucks program is designed for “greater transparency, flexibility and value” for Great Danes.
The Damien Bucks system will operate on a “true dollar-for-dollar” basis, with students paying directly for items at the listed menu prices rather than through a pre-discounted structure.
“This change eliminates upfront program fees and ensures that pricing is straightforward and aligned with actual purchase costs,” Chrostowski said. “Overall, the transition to Damien Bucks reflects a commitment to simplifying the dining experience while offering students more control over how they spend their funds across campus.”
“I really like the Discount [Dollars], because who doesn’t like a discount like this,” Marupov said. He said the transition from Discount Dollars to Damien Bucks is “more expensive.”
Updates to the new Campus Center renovations can be found on the Great Dane Hospitality website or Instagram page.
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