North And Kendall To Open On-Campus Chick-fil-A Locations This Fall
Foodies, the wait is over.
This fall, Miami Dade College’s two largest sites will open on-campus Chick-fil-A locations offering the chain’s chicken sandwiches, nuggets, fries, salads and milkshakes.
Kendall Campus will also open a new Starbucks that will offer a full menu ranging from tea and coffee to bagels, sandwiches and yogurt. The venue, which is being built this summer, will replace Finn’s Bistro located in building 100 next to the student life department.
The renovations are part of a $2.8 million renovation project that started this summer. They are scheduled to be complete by early fall semester, according to Chris Starling, the College’s senior vice provost and chief financial officer.
Students are excited about the new food option.
“I could literally stay at [Chick-fil-A] for breakfast, lunch and dinner,” said Alejandra Portales, a psychology student at Kendall Campus who said her favorite menu item is the 12-piece nugget combo with fries and coke.
The idea to bring the fast-food giant on campus became a reality after the College’s food service company, Canteen, reached out to Starbucks and Chick-fil-A officials last semester to increase on-campus food options.
Renovations at North and Kendall Campus started in June.
At North Campus, the Chick-fil-A will take up about two-thirds of the space of the cafeteria in the 4000 building. It will feature new counters with cash registers, beverage fountains and electronic displays showcasing Chick-fil-A’s menu offerings.
New pressure cookers, fryers and ovens will be added to the kitchen. The flooring, plumbing and electrical grid in the area will also be updated. The left side of the cafeteria will serve Canteen’s menu, which includes BBQ ribs, rice and beans and pizza. They will no longer offer chicken or fries.
The kitchen’s old ovens and refrigerators will be relocated to the Lakeside Café in building 3000 and Palms Café in the science complex, which will reopen in July. It has been closed since March of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lakeside Café at North Campus is open this summer on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. They sell coladas, burgers, paninis, tuna wraps and salads.
Kendall Campus’ Chick-fil-A will be housed in the cafeteria in the 8000 building. It will also take up about two-thirds of the space. The remaining area will serve Canteen’s menu.
“I’ve only eaten at MDC like once,” said Nina Amodio, a second-year marketing student at Kendall Campus. “But if they start having good food options like this, it’s going to be a lot more often.”
During construction, the cafeteria is offering a limited menu that includes chicken tenders, fries, coladas, burgers, pastelitos and cinnamon buns. It will open from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday.
The two Chick-fil-A sites will open in the fall from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday.
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