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Cloudy early with some clearing expected late. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 61F. Winds light and variable..
Cloudy early with some clearing expected late. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 61F. Winds light and variable.
Updated: July 17, 2023 @ 9:43 pm
Thai Fusion is one of two restaurants scheduled to open in the Illini Union on Aug. 14.
Thai Fusion is one of two restaurants scheduled to open in the Illini Union on Aug. 14.
We’ll be able to start eating at these restaurants by Aug. 14, though Jim Trail, assistant director for vendor services at the Union, says he’s pushing to get them opened sooner.
The original plan was to get them going quite some time ago, but pandemic-related shortages rolled into staffing and financing challenges and delayed opening.
The most recent attempted opening date was before the end of the spring semester, but Trail says a hard line has been set for Aug. 14 since students will be moving into the dorms that week.
For now, hours will run from lunchtime to sometime in the early evening. Trail said he’s encouraging vendors to be conservative with their hours since they’ll be new and it may take students a while to get into the habit of eating there.
The restaurants are popular student choices, though, if the Union’s survey is anything to go on.
The Union polls students about once a year to see what services they might need. One section focuses solely on food options and the staff has been working to get four popular choices to move into the spaces available.
Maize Mexican Grill and Thai Fusion are the only two set to go for now, but Trail says he’s been in dialogue with other restaurants.
Many companies have pulled back from atypical locations like college campuses or airports to focus on standard restaurant locations.
For that reason, Trail said he’s been focusing on local or regional restaurants which could benefit from a second location.
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