Shakes, chicken, sushi, new apps and a map

Most of us on campus have watched eagerly as Archie's Pizzeria and Burger King transformed into Steak 'n Shake and Chick-fil-A. Many of us have probably already lined up for a frosty shake or chicken sandwich, but USI Dining Services has also been busy with other exciting food items and applications.

Sushi

When students were surveyed for their top food choices, falling only shortly behind Steak N Shake and Chick-fil-A, was sushi. Sushi has long been a big hit on college campuses, so USI Dining Services accepted the challenge and has now added sushi to the menu at Cyclone Salads, both Simply to Go locations and the C-Store. Their sushi chef prepares the sushi fresh daily. He even has a sushi table set up for demonstrations. "Students have been raving about the sushi," said Jason Montgomery, marketing coordinator for Sodexo USI.

Bite by Sodexo

In addition to the delicious new food choices, USI Dining Services has also been checking off the wish list for convenient dining. Bite by Sodexo is a new mobile app which measures calories and nutritional value for breakfast, lunch and dinner at The Loft. Individuals with restricted diets will be able to check for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and Halal options. Lamar Patterson, general manager of Sodexo USI says they hope to expand the Bite app to all the restaurant locations across campus by the end of the school year. The app works on both iPhones and Androids. After downloading, a code prompt will appear; the code for USI is A42U9.

Tapingo

If you hate waiting in line, the launch of the new Tapingo ordering app is sure to catch your attention. With a release date tentatively planned for some time after the fall break. With Tapingo, orders can be placed, and the sender will either be notified when their order is ready to be picked up, or receive an estimate of when their order will be ready. Because payment is accepted through the app, all you have to do is pick up your order - bagged and ready to go. Tapingo will be available for all food locations on campus with the exception of The Loft, the C-Store and Simply to Go locations. It will also have limited Red Mango service. Downloads will be available in the Apple App Store and Google play.

Dining Map

If you're new to USI or just aren't sure where all the dining locations are, a new dining map is available online. It lists all food locations, hours of operation and menus. Set up much like Google maps, it provides walking and driving directions.

Patterson and his team have worked hard to ensure an array of food choices and ways to make eating on campus more convenient. It will be interesting to see what they come up with next.