UMW Dining announces new additions for 2025-2026 year

by COLE RASMUSSEN

Staff Writer

Ahead of the new semester, UMW Dining introduced changes to meal options around campus, including a new Simply Taco station in the Top of the Cedric Rucker University Center and a new bakery vending machine kiosk in Eagle Landing. 

The new vending machine, called JustBaked kiosk, is made by Sodexo and ART, which is a “premier hot food technology supplier for the food service industry,” according to their website. The kiosk provides an array of hot food options including  pork bao, glazed donuts, breakfast burritos and White Castle burgers. Unlike traditional vending machines, the JustBaked kiosk is able to dispense hot food at any time. They dispense items using a robotic arm inside the machine that pulls the product from the shelves into the convection oven to warm up before being given to the student. 

Kyle Kouri, the district manager with Sodexo who manages Mary Washington, says the new kiosks are making their debut in Eagle Landing because of the lack of campus dining options across the pedestrian bridge. The new kiosks accept EagleOne dollars and credit cards, and  will have a seasonally rotated  menu, with the exception of some classics, so students can have some variety throughout the year. 

According to Kouri, if the machines in Eagle are successful, they may put more across campus in places like Goolrick Gym, the Link, Lee Hall or even Eagle’s Nest. 

At the Top of the CRUC, Simply Taco replaced a global dining station, that previously featured Mexican cuisine. Kouri says that students missed having dedicated Mexican options all the time, and Simply Taco is meant to fill that gap.

“The year following the replacement of Serranos, we really found and had a lot of student feedback that they missed having dedicated Mexican options all the time,” said Kouri. “So Simply Tacos felt like a really easy, no brainer way to expand our dietary offerings and accomplish having a cuisine that students were really saying they missed having.”

The new station is an extension of the Simple Servings section of the dining hall, meaning it is free of the top eight allergens in the country. All the food is prepared without milk, eggs, wheat, soy, shellfish, peanuts, tree nuts and sesame. According to Kouri, because of these new changes, the UMW now has the largest Simple Servings platform in the United States. 

“We offer the largest amount of dietary restrictions in a campus setting in North America for Sodexo,” he said.

The chefs have worked to create a vegan and gluten free queso for the station that is similar to normal queso. 

“The station is designed so that it is rotational,” said Kouri. “Every so many days, the proteins change, some of the toppings change, and then we’ll be able to do tacos, quesadillas, nachos, burrito bowls, burritos.”

According to Kouri, feedback for Simply Taco has been positive so far. This station has been well-received by students because it expands options with dietary restrictions and brings back a Mexican food option.

“I think the variety at simply taco is nice,” said Emmy Beach, a senior theatre major. “I think there’s something for everyone.”

The inclusive dining choices at Simply Taco gives more freedom to students with dietary restrictions and preferences. As a vegetarian, Beach appreciates another station in the dining hall with more green plate options. 

“It’s a consistent option that I can always have,” Beach said. 

Sodexo has also changed the aesthetics of the brand, leading to design changes in the dining hall. 

“Uniforms were updated, and the one and all brand is really meant to encapsulate the feeling for every single person who comes in there, that there is one place for everyone,” said Kouri. “Everyone is welcome. We have inclusive options. ”