DENTON, Texas (UNT) – In November 2015, the University of North Texas opened its new University Union. Nestled in the heart of UNT, the four-story, 313,000 square-foot building is twice the size of the former union. It hosts 15 retail food shops, which nearly doubled the number of dining locations across campus to 21. Now, the Union is celebrating its first anniversary, and UNT Dining Services is pleased to be part of it.
"With almost 45,000 students, faculty and staff, as well as residents of Denton and surrounding communities, providing service for everyone has always been a welcome challenge," said Dining Services Executive Director Bill McNeace. “The new dining venues and expanded seating areas in the Union enabled us to serve more people than ever before. It also gave us the opportunity to add the new restaurants and menu options customers requested.”
The Union is now the central dining spot at UNT. University officials and students alike say the gathering place offers something for everybody and every taste, including a five-station Food Court, the Corner Store, a full-service restaurant, and nine national brands, including one of the only full-sized university-based Starbucks in the U.S. Dining officials say the new options make it easier and more convenient for students and faculty to stay on campus to eat, especially during the day.
Most of the dining venues are easily accessible on the second floor, which sees the heaviest traffic. Students and faculty can grab a quick breakfast or lunch, or they can enjoy a meal with friends at the new 500-seat Campus Chat dining area or a two-story entertainment lounge dubbed the Syndicate. The Avesta Restaurant is on the same floor for anyone looking for an elegant sit-down meal at an affordable price. Every dining location is open to the public and compliant with all university meal plans.
“Dining in the University Union has had a tremendous impact on the University of North Texas campus,” said Zane Reif, Senior Director of the University Union. “Students are excited about the new facility and the many wonderful dining options available to them. It’s a testament to the hard working team in Dining Services and their relationship with the student body.”
The restaurants and their locations were the result of four years of careful planning and coordination. With Dining Services’ motto “It’s About The Food” as a guide, every aspect of dining in the new Union focuses on one goal — to make customers happy. The Dining Services team met with several student and faculty/staff focus groups to gain insight into what they wanted in the new facility. Dining Services then worked closely with Perkins+Will, an interdisciplinary architecture and design firm, and Ricca Design Studios, a firm specializing in culinary design, to bring innovative ideas to the table that were functional, comfortable, and inviting.
“Food service was such a significant part of the design and integral to its successful completion,” said Dwight Burns, architect and project manager at Perkins+Will. “We worked closely with University Union personnel and student groups to develop the right mix of food venues and public dining spaces. We’re very encouraged by the response of guests at the new Union.”
“This was a really large building for a big, bustling campus,” said Sean Callnin, Executive Principal at Ricca Design Studios. “It needed to satisfy a wide variety of users, different payment types, and offer up a large mix of food and beverage choices. Trying to satisfy such a diverse group composed of resident and commuter students, professors, and staff in one building was a big undertaking. Looking back on the project one year later, the original goals and considerations have now paid off.”
Behind the scenes, a large kitchen on the second floor services the needs of every restaurant in the Union. The main kitchen, as well as smaller plating and prepping areas on the third floor adjacent to the ballroom and banquet rooms, also supports the full-service Verde Catering service. Despite the major kitchen spaces being separated among floors, Ricca Design worked to ensure they were adjacent to the areas they were serving. An organized and efficient system means guests can be served faster and more efficiently, improving their dining experience, Callnin said.
“UNT Dining provides and develops nutritious and sustainable foods because a well-fed guest is happier and healthier, so they perform better and succeed,” McNeace said. “We look forward to serving our guests in the University Union for many more years.”
For more information on UNT Dining Services, go to dining.unt.edu. To learn about the new University Union, go to studentaffairs.unt.edu/university-union.