Ryle Dining Hall to Get New Look, Equipment

 
Next summer, the Ryle Dining Hall will undergo a light remodel, while the kitchen area will receive upgraded equipment.
 
The dining and services spaces will see new paint, lighting and ceilings, along with potential changes to the booths. The food service area will have refreshed solid surface tray areas and sneeze guards. Planned upgrades in the kitchen area include new warmers, reach-in coolers, steamers, dish machine, milk machines, soft serve ice cream machine and a hard ice cream chest/freezer.

“Truman students rate their dining hall experiences highly in the annual resident satisfaction survey taken by on-campus students each fall semester,” said Jamie Van Boxel, director of residence life. “Updating the dining hall environment to reflect currently trending aesthetics will enhance the on-campus dining experience and compliment the satisfaction our residents have with the cleanliness and high-level of service provided by the dining hall staff. New equipment will contribute to improved food quality, which should increase satisfaction with the overall dining hall experience.”
 
The Ryle Dining space serves as many as 800 people per day.
 
“Ryle has seen a lot of diners in the past 15 years since the last remodel,” said John Stewart, general manager of Sodexo. “We are very excited about the refresh to brighten up and enhance the look of Ryle Dining space. Getting new equipment will enhance the overall appearance, as well as ensure we are able to provide quality products safely and effectively.”
 
All of the changes in the Ryle Dining Hall will be completed in time for the start of the 2025-26 academic year. The dining halls in Ryle Hall and Missouri Hall, along with the offerings in the Student Union Building, will remain as options for employees and campus visitors, as well as members of the community during the Ryle Dining Hall renovation. Campus dining halls will continue to offer discounted rates on Friday throughout the school year.
 
The Ryle Dining Hall refresh is part of additional changes scheduled for the coming year. The Chick-fil-A in the Student Union Building will be expanded to the restaurant’s full menu, including kale chips and mac and cheese. After the reopen in August, all purchases for Chick-fil-A will be made at the Chick-fil-A counter.
 
Students planning to live on campus next year can take the Ryle Dining Hall refresh into consideration when making their housing selection. The housing portal is open now and can be accessed through TruView. Room selection will take place in the spring semester. Questions about the housing process can be directed to Residence Life at 660.785.4227 or reslife@truman.edu.