AU students returning from winter break will find something missing from their campus: McDonald’s.
The largest fast-food restaurant at AU will be moving from its current spot in the Bender Tunnel Dec. 3 when its lease expires.
David Courter, head of the Dinging Services Committee, is in the process of signing a contract with a new food company to fill the space vacated by McDonald’s. But Courter said he could not disclose what that company is until the deal is finalized.
Once the deal is final, Courter said “the AU campus will know of it within the next 10 days.”
The Dining Services Project Team will decide Oct. 11 to continue forward with the chosen restaurant or look for a new option based on the company’s reply.
Courter said if the Dining Services Committee decides not to contract with the current vendor, a replacement must be found by Thanksgiving. If a replacement is not found, the space will be given to Bon Appétit for another dining option such as the Tavern.
AU’s Dining Services Project team held two open forums Sept. 26 and Sept. 30 to receive feedback and educate AU on the process of replacing McDonald’s.
Over 40 people attended the forum Sept. 26, where AU community members voiced their opinions on what food company they want to replace McDonald’s.
McDonald’s is currently under a 10-year lease at AU. Courter said McDonald’s did not wish to continue their lease and said they gave no reason other than it was a business decision.
School of Public Affairs junior Chris Litchfield voiced his desire for a D.C.-based venue.
“It would be cool to bring in a local or a community-based restaurant that could add extra flavor to our campus,” he said.
Litchfield said he wants students to have the opportunity to be involved with the new restaurant, like the Davenport Coffee Lounge.
Other ideas pitched at the forum included healthy, affordable food options that will contribute to preserving an environmentally-friendly production process.
Dining Services began looking for a tenant to replace McDonald’s last spring and contacted over 30 companies.
These companies were then invited to visit AU and tour the current space. Dining Services sent out requests to 24 companies June 7 for proposals to replace McDonald’s. Only two companies responded.
Of these two companies, Dining Services decided that only one would be a said this decision was based on certain requirements such as, “having a menu option for every time of the day, a dine-in or takeout option and accepting Eagle Bucks or Dining Dollars.”
Courter said few companies wished to open a location at AU because the companies claimed AU didn’t have enough traffic during the school year to make a profit, including many inactive times during breaks.
The Dining Services Committee sent a lease to the chosen company Sept. 22. This company has 10 days to respond to the proposal, according to Courter.
If everything works out, “it will take 120 to 150 days for this restaurant to open … likely in the early summer during the start of Welcome Weeks,” Courter said.
