Scott Myers, director of food and vending for Carolina Dining Services, said the increase is due to inflation in the cost of food and plans to raise the minimum wage for all staff.

Fans of Lenoir Dining Hall’s Jamba Juice will be disappointed when they return to campus this fall. Carolina Dining Services is replacing the smoothie vendor with Freshens, which specializes in crepes and frozen yogurt. Scott Myers, director of food and vending at UNC, said the decision was made to give students more choices.

Beginning in May, students will enjoy local produce in the dining halls thanks to a partnership with Bender Farms in Warren County.

UNC students could see changes to their dinner plates in the coming years if Chancellor Holden Thorp chooses to endorse a proposal presented to him today.

Students who bought meal plans bigger than their appetites have the opportunity to change or cancel them — until Friday’s deadline.

UNC students are trying to save some of the 83 to 100 animals most people consume each year. Eleni Vlachos, a local advocate for veganism who has been using that statistic to education people nationwide, is helping students expand vegan and vegetarian menu items at campus dining halls. If Carolina Dining Services approves a proposal drafted by students, all Mondays would be designated as “Meatless Mondays.” Biology major Brandon Hays presented the student proposal to dining services Monday. The proposal follows a recent national trend to promote veganism and vegetarianism on college campuses, including East Carolina University and Davidson College, said Vlachos, who is also a community relations contractor for Duke Medicine. Vlachos recently traveled to universities around the country to promote her documentary on the benefits of veganism. She said some schools went as far as to eliminate meat entirely from Monday menus. UNC’s proposal would not eliminate meat and animal products from the menu on Mondays, Vlachos said.

Even the youngest of Chapel Hill’s residents will now be carrying on the town’s image of being environmentally focused.

The food waste from UNC’s Blue Zone was collected and composted after the homecoming football game as part of a national recycling competition. The Game Day Challenge is an initiative sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for universities across the country.

Students frustrated with crowds in Lenoir Dining Hall might be in for a surprise when they return for the spring semester: The bottom floor will be without 150 seats. Renovations will soon begin for an effort to add more seats.

A hint of math, a dash of science and a sprinkle of experience — that’s the recipe for serving about 4,000 students a day in Top of Lenoir.

“The first time around, whenever we create a menu, it’s really a guesstimation of how much we think we’re going to serve,” said executive chef Paul Basciano.

After only a week in existence, the University’s newest dining option is proving that sustainable food could be a sustainable option.

Lenoir Mainstreet’s newest restaurant, 1.5.0., has been profitable in its first week in business, and University officials said they are hoping students will continue to support the healthy campus eatery.

Students have met the prospect of a Wendy’s restaurant in the Student Union with mixed feelings after learning that Carolina Dining Services is leaning toward the fast food franchise.

Administrators revealed a plan last week to expand on-campus dining options by opening a Wendy’s in the space occupied by the copy center in the Union.

The University is considering plans to expand the Top of Lenoir dining hall as part of a long-term renovation of campus dining facilities.

Scott Myers, director of food and vending at UNC, said the plan would address overcrowding, which has been a problem for several years during peak hours at the dining hall. The plan calls for about 200 more seats to be added to the building’s second floor.

“Dining for students that live on campus is just such an integral part of their campus experience,” he said. “If they have problems with getting in, getting their food, sitting down and eating a nutritious meal, then that’s a problem.”

The plan to increase seating in Top of Lenoir to about 850 seats is part of an estimated $18 million plan to improve campus dining facilities.

Administrators are leaning toward putting a Wendy’s fast food eatery in the bottom floor of the Student Union within three years.

The decision to install a fast food restaurant in the current first-floor copy center is part of a large-scale plan to expand dining options on North Campus and alleviate crowding in Lenoir Dining Hall.

Fees considered this week

Fee name: Athletic fee
Fee amount:  $265
Suggested increase: $6

Fee name:  Carolina Union operating fee
Fee amount:  $124
Suggested increase: $7.80

Fee name: Student Rec Center & Union debt fee
Fee amount: $64
Suggested increase: $16.75

Fee name: Student dining debt fee
Fee amount: $74
Suggested increase: $18.25

Fee name: Ram’s Head Rec Center debt fee
Fee amount: $42.50
Suggested decrease: $7.50

Fee changes being considered this week might let the University begin a series of expansions and renovations not tied to the fees’ original justifications.

The changes will affect debt service fees, a group of expenses designed to help pay for major construction projects.

Students currently pay $180.50 to help manage UNC’s debt.

The counters of UNC's dining halls were spread with shrimp, fried oysters, clams and fish March 4.

Tartar sauce took the place of ketchup, and a fancy sundae bar replaced the smoothie stand.

This was not the average night at Lenoir or Rams Head dining halls.

In fact, the special dinner is something Carolina Dining Services officials do at least once a month in an effort to give students a break from the monotony of wraps, burgers and barbecue.

Like it or not, dining on campus is big business.

Each year Carolina Dining Services brings in more than $18 million- - the majority coming from students' pockets - from meal plans and Lenoir Mainstreet sales.