IU Dining recently released changes to on-campus dining operations for the 2020-21 school year to allow for social distancing and limited physical interaction.
No in-person dining
In-person dining will be prohibited in all residential dining halls and campus eateries except for the Tudor Room in the Indiana Memorial Union, according to a release. This policy is in compliance with Gov. Eric Holcomb’s Executive Order 20-32, which orders schools not to permit food to be eaten at the site where it is provided. However, outdoor seating will be available across campus.
Students may order food in person for carryout or online through Grubhub for either pickup or delivery. Fees will only be applied for Grubhub delivery orders and not for pickup orders, according to IU Dining’s update on new practices. Information on how to install and use Grubhub are available on IU Dining’s website.
Streamlined menus and contactless payment
To reduce waiting time, no customization will be allowed for in-person orders, according to the update. All foods will be prepared and packaged instead of made to order. However, Grubhub orders will be customizable.
IU Dining will only offer contactless and cashless payments throughout the 2020-21 school year. Students can either prepay for their online orders through Grubhub or use contactless card readers for in-person orders. Rahul Shrivastav, executive director of IU Dining, said in the release only I-Bucks, CrimsonCard and credit cards may be used.
New options will be available at Read and Gresham halls. Gresham will offer individual pizzas, salads, deli sandwiches and falafel, while Read will offer the breakfast menu from the Gloriana food truck, the barbecue menu from the Stripes food truck and smash burgers.The two locations will not have storefronts and will only allow for Grubhub pickup and delivery orders.
New health and safety protocols in dining areas
In accordance with IU’s guidelines, face masks are required in campus dining areas for either in-person ordering or online order pickups, according to the release. Guests will be provided a disposable mask if they do not have one with them. All guests are also expected to stay six feet apart from others in the dining areas while placing orders or picking up an online order. Upon entering the dining areas, guests are also required to use hand sanitizers, which will be available at entrances.
Following guidelines by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, salad bars, buffets and other shared equipment will not be offered.
The number of guests in the dining facilities at any given time may be limited to maintain social distancing. Maps will show guests how to navigate through dining spaces for their in-person or Grubhub orders. Safety ambassadors will be stationed in campus eateries and dining halls to help prevent overcrowding and ensure that people follow the university’s COVID-19 protocols.
All IU Dining staff will wear and be provided personal protective equipment such as gloves and masks and their health will be monitored, according to the update.
Dining location updates
Campus cafes in Jordan Hall and the Student Recreational Sports Center will be closed, but the one in Ballantine Hall will reopen. The Globe will move from its former second floor location in the Union to the Circle Café location in the Union through the fall semester.
Pam Sprong, director of auxiliary business services marketing, said in the release that all restaurants in the Union are expected to reopen in the spring semester following renovations.
The Tudor Room will reopen as an a la carte restaurant without a buffet service, according to the release. Breakfast and lunch will be served Monday through Friday, and brunch will be served Saturday and Sunday.
Students with special dietary needs
Students with special dietary needs may customize their orders through Grubhub. Customers with medical dietary needs and allergies are strongly encouraged to contact IU Dining’s dietitian, according to the update.
Students in quarantine housing
IU Dining is working with university officials to develop protocols for students in quarantine housing, according to the update.
