by Kirstin Nichols

More than a month after the South Campus Market opened its doors to reveal a brand new cafe and grill, students have purchased food and drinks there more than 11,000 times, according to the University of Maryland’s Dining Services. 

Many students say that it’s helpful for late-night dinners, while others say it’s too expensive.

“I’m ecstatic about the options,” said Caroline Thorne, a sophomore government and politics major. She ordered chicken tenders with honey mustard from the new grill for a 9 p.m. Wednesday dinner, when the dining halls are already closed. “This is like takeout, and you can’t get takeout at the dining hall.”

The cafe is open Monday to Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and serves Starbucks drinks, pastries and lunch items. The grill is open every day from 7 p.m. until midnight and serves chicken wings, chicken tenders, subs and sides. 

Bella Jagoe, a sophomore business and criminal justice major, said she enjoys ordering from the grill for late-night dinners but wishes that their options were less expensive. Her order of five un-dipped chicken tenders set her back $9.39. She prefers to cook for herself in her on-campus apartment. 

Scott Cronin, a sophomore government major and president of the Residence Hall Association, said he likes that the grill is placed conveniently beneath his office and he can take his food upstairs to eat.

The shop is currently the only campus store with a built-in cafe and grill. 

“This one seemed like the most sensible location to update in this way,” said Bart Hipple, associate director of communication for Dining Services. “The footprint of the shop was large, larger than it needed to be. We found that we could appropriately contain the inventory required for the shop in a smaller footprint, so we had extra space there.”’

Plus, Hipple said, there are more upperclassmen on South Campus than on North Campus, and they would be “eager” to have a late night grill and cafe.

It won’t be the last shop and grill, Hipple said. Once the new Yahentamitsi dining hall opens and The Diner near Ellicott Hall closes Dining Services will establish a similar shop.

Construction on the cafe began in summer 2021 and was originally planned to open earlier, but the opening date was delayed due to a supply chain issue with a hood, which filters heat and cooking fumes out of the building. It was lost in delivery. UMD administrators worked to track down the lost part, but eventually decided to use a hood from another campus location instead, Hipple said.

This campus spot will hopefully make life a little easier for students, said cafe supervisor Alice Brown.

“I think it will benefit students because the one at [the Adele H. Stamp Student Union] is always busy,” Brown said.

Students can use both Terrapin Express and Dining Dollars to pay for food at the cafe and grill. 

“My perception is students want to be able to access food later at night – not all the time, but sometimes – especially as a treat and especially when they’re studying,” Hipple said. “And this will be a way for them to do that and stay safe on campus.”

Featured image: The new grill and cafe next to the South Campus Dining Hall on Monday, May 9, 2022. Photo by Emily Condon.