This fall, renovations will begin on the St. John’s campus to make way for two new food vendors.

In January 2017, Memorial will welcome Mustang Sally’s Flaming Skillet to the University Centre (UC) food court and a Tim Hortons kiosk to the lower atrium in the Arts building.

Mustang Sally’s is locally owned and operated by two Memorial alumni, one of whom currently operates the popular Dairy Queen franchise in the UC food court, Niraj Shukla. The Tim Hortons kiosk will be operated by Memorial’s food service contractor, Aramark.

Selection committee

Rex Coffin, director, Ancillary Operations, says the new vendors are a response to the university community’s request for more variety on campus. To fill the food court vacancy, a selection committee was established, consisting of students, faculty and staff. The process was also informed by results from the university’s food survey in April 2016.

“We are excited to introduce Mustang Sally’s at the University Centre,” said Mr. Coffin. “It offers a diverse food program, building on the success of its downtown location and adding an interesting element to campus food operations. I’d also like to thank members of our selection committee who helped assess bid submissions and select a new vendor who will add great value to our campus.”

Lots of options

Earlier this year, Mustang Sally’s opened in downtown St. John’s, so this new location at Memorial will be an expansion of the company. They offer made-to-order stir-fries, salads, wraps, burritos, quesadillas, pizza and nachos, with a wide selection of proteins, vegetables and sauces to choose from. To cater to diverse customer needs, they offer vegetarian, vegan, halal, gluten-free and dairy-free options.

“Mustang’s is really about bringing fresh, healthy, custom-made deliciousness to our customers, one flaming skillet at a time,” said Mr. Shukla. “We are a brand of collaboration and cultural community-focused experiences, and are incredibly eager to share our energy with the Memorial community.”

Arts kiosk

The Tim Hortons kiosk in the Arts atrium will offer students, faculty and staff the option of limited Tim Hortons beverages and baked goods in an express kiosk format, while continuing to offer some of the standard soup, chili and other convenience items already available through Aramark.

“Despite the small footprint in the Arts atrium, the Tim Hortons kiosk allows us to offer the coffee, tea and baked goods that so many love from Tims, thereby significantly improving service to this area of campus,” said Mr. Coffin.

‘Great addition’

Barbara Henshaw, food service director, Aramark Dining Services, says the Tim Hortons kiosk will be a great addition to Memorial University’s dining program.

“We are always doing research to understand students’ needs and preferences,” said Ms. Henshaw. “We are very excited to open Tim Hortons on campus to better serve the campus community. The new kiosk will provide products and promotions that Canadians know and love — always fresh baked goods, coffee, teas, iced cappuccinos and more . . . even the Roll Up the Rim to Win contest will be available. This new location will most definitely provide a great variety of options for students and faculty in a convenient location.”

Construction will begin on the two spaces in the coming weeks. The official opening dates for both locations will be shared in January 2017.