Au Bon Pain, Chili's Among New Campus Dining Options

As part of the University’s new partnership with Chartwells Higher Education Dining Services, students, faculty, staff and visitors will have more dining options this fall, including the popular national chains of Au Bon Pain and Chili’s.

“Whether you’d like a small snack, a large meal, a cup of coffee, some hand-rolled sushi, a fresh calzone, a made-to-order salad or an international dish, it’s all here,” says Andrew Pignataro, Montclair State’s director of Auxiliary Services.

Chartwells’ approach to campus dining blends fresh, healthy food options, popular retail brands, sustainability, diner-friendly venue renovations and cutting-edge technologies.

Food service changes will be phased in over the next two years, says Pignataro. Café Diem is now Au Bon Pain @ Café Diem. Freeman dining hall is now a Balance Kitchen featuring fresh, local choices. The Plaza at Blanton is home to a Chili’s restaurant, a Which Wich (offering made-to-order sandwiches) and an Outtakes convenience store with fresh made-to-go sandwiches and salads.

Diners at the Student Center will be able to order everything from burritos and burgers to sushi and pizza. Sam’s Place will become an all-you-care-to-eat Pulse on Dining venue with a late-night bistro.

“It’s our goal to enclose the Student Center patio and incorporate two new concepts – a pizzeria and a Jamba Juice. The Student Center server area will become the nation’s first on-campus California Tortilla,” says Pignataro.