Below are the emails Edining sent out to the EMU Community, in order.
Email #1 - 8/18/2025
Dear EMU Students,
As you head back to campus, you’ll notice some changes to dining. We’ve taken a close look at how EMU students really eat: when they dine, where they gather, and what they crave. This shift is all about aligning with your habits and making sure dining reflects how you live on campus now.
The Commons: Your New Dining Hub
New stations: 500 Degrees with fresh hand-tossed pizza, Flame offering made to order grilled items, Morning Drive with all day breakfast, Soup & Co with fresh made soups, Spice & Rice serving globally inspired rice bowls, featuring rotating flavors and heat levels, and Innovate which is a chef-driven station that changes frequently, giving our culinary team the freedom to create bold, experimental dishes you won’t find anywhere else on campus
Weekly Station pop-ups: The Student Center retail locations will be closing, but each week The Commons will be hosting a rotating station with your favorites from Tu Taco, BUILD Pizza, and some new additions including Global Flavors, Chef's Choice and an Omelet Bar
What Else Is New or Improved:
What’s changing:
Student Center closures: TuTaco, BUILD, Oakwood Street Subs, Happy Boba, the Market
Market closures: Pray Harrold, Mark Jefferson, and Crossroads
Community-Centered Additions:
Don’t Miss the Streetscape Selfie Wall
This fall, E|Dining is unveiling a bold, urban art-inspired selfie wall on campus - featuring a vibrant, layered street art design and striking eagle wings that invite students to step up and snap the perfect pic. Located in the Student Center, this installation is designed to become a campus favorite - whether you're capturing your first week, your fit check, or your graduation cap toss.
Recipes From Home
Students and families are invited to submit comfort foods, cultural dishes, or meaningful recipes from their heritage. Selected submissions will be featured in The Commons dining hall and celebrated throughout the semester. This is your chance to bring a taste of home to campus and share your story through food. Submit your recipe here.
Expanded Farmers Markets (Now Flex-Friendly!)
Last year’s farmers markets were a hit, so we’re bringing them back - more often and with even more local variety. Whether you're shopping for produce, snacks, or seasonal items, students will now be able to use their Flex dollars to make purchases right on campus. It’s part of our continued effort to support wellness, sustainability, and real access to the foods students want.
BUILDING A STRONGER DINING COMMUNITY
This is more than just a refresh. It’s about making dining more social, expressive, and
connected. E|Dining is building a campus dining culture that reflects YOU.
These locations were underused and no longer reflect the dining habits of today’s EMU students. By closing them, we’re able to refocus on enhancing the dining experiences that matter most -- right where students gather, eat, and engage every day.
These updates help us bring energy and investment into the places students actually use, and offer faster service, more creativity, and better food. Let’s build what’s next.
Feedback? Share your thoughts with us here: Feedback Form
—E|Dining
Visit emichdining.com for more information.
Email #2 - 8/19/2025
Hello Eagles,
We’ve heard from many of you about the dining updates we shared yesterday - and we want you to know we’re listening. Our goal is to make sure your campus dining experience stays delicious, inclusive, and built around what you need.
The changes suggested are meant to reflect how students have actually been dining in various locations across campus and to reinvest in the spots that you’ve used the most. We know that these changes can be tough, and we are working hard to keep your meal plans full of value and quality.
Even though some smaller venues are closing, we’re excited to bring you new options and upgrades, including:
We’ll keep watching hours, locations, and accessibility to make sure the program works for you - and we’ll keep making changes based on your feedback. Haven’t weighed in yet? Share your thoughts through the Dining Feedback Form where you can share feedback anonymously.
Thanks for speaking up and being part of the process. Together, we’re building a dining program that works for Eastern.
EMU & The E|Dining Team
Email #3 - September 10th, 2025
Dear Students,
We hope your semester is off to a fantastic start! As fall unfolds, we’ve been working behind the scenes to enhance your campus experience — and we’re excited to share updates to dining options and the launch of our new spirit store, where you can stock up on Eastern gear to soar like an Eagle.
These enhancements are designed to enrich the vibrant campus environment we’re proud to offer — for both residential and commuter students. We’re committed to continually evaluating and improving your experience, and we’ll keep making thoughtful adjustments to better serve your needs.
Here’s a preview of what to expect later this fall:
Student Center
· Little Caesars is joining the food court lineup! Open afternoons into the evening, it will complement Starbucks, and TrueBurger, which introduced a 5% giveback initiative, with proceeds supporting Swoop’s Food Pantry. Opening date and hours will be announced soon.
· A new Eagle Spot: Grab. Go. Enjoy. is coming to the second floor (former market location), featuring vending-style grab-and-go food as well as seating for studying and socializing. Opening later this fall.
· Eastern Outfitters, our new spirit store, will move into the former bookstore space on the first floor. It will offer a full line of Eastern-branded apparel, drinkware, room décor, and more. The physical store opens mid-November, with an online shop launching sooner.
Pray-Harrold
· The Market @ Pray-Harrold will soon reopen on the first floor with grab-and-go favorites, and seating and study space. Opening later this fall.
· Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee Truck continues to serve hot and iced beverages outside Pray-Harrold.
Halle Library, Eastern Eateries, and The Commons
· The Market @ Halle Library is open on the lower level. It features grab-and-go food, coffee, and plenty of seating for studying and socializing and is open during library hours.
· The dining experience at The Commons continues to provide dining options that are sure to please. They include:
o 500 Degrees – fresh hand-tossed pizza
o Flame – made-to-order grilled items
o Morning Drive – all-day breakfast
o Soup & Co – fresh-made soups
o Spice & Rice – globally-inspired rice bowls
o Delicious Without – allergen-friendly free station
o Homestyle – tastes of home
o Innovation Station - including Recipes From Home (featuring student-submitted favorites), Premium Protein Nights (elevated menu offerings), and delicious chef-driven rotating options including favorites from the Student Center, Global Flavor, Chef’s Choice, and an omelet bar.
· Eastern Eateries continues to offer a wide variety of options, including Eagle’s Grind, Market @ Eastern Eateries, Cluck, Ciao Bella, Melt Lab, and PhoU.
Farmers Markets, Flex Dollars and more
We’re also excited to expand our on-campus Farmers Markets, now accepting Flex dollars — making it easier than ever to enjoy fresh, local offerings.
For more details, visit the E|Dining website — and keep an eye out for the launch of Eastern Outfitters!
Email #4 - 10/20/2025
Students, faculty and staff:
We’re pleased to share several enhancements to campus dining options designed to better serve students and employees:
And, as a reminder, the new Eagle Outfitters store in the Student Center, your one-stop shop for Eastern gear, will officially open Nov. 17. Apparel and merchandise can be pre-ordered online at https://emich.ecampus.com.
We appreciate your patience as we continue to roll out improvements.