UNMC Chancellor Harold M. Maurer, M.D., and The Nebraska Medical Center CEO Glenn Fosdick will be on hand Thursday as the ribbons are cut on the redesigned Nebraska Cafe and Clarkson Cafe.
The events will include prizes, giveaways, music and vendors.
The ribbon-cuttings are the official opening of the redesigned cafes, capping a yearlong redesign process that saw $5 million in improvements made by Sodexo, Inc. to the two cafe locations and the Starbucks coffee cart in the Durham Outpatient Center.
As part of the renovation and redesign, Sodexo – which oversees the food service operations for the campus – brought in outside vendors: AFC Sushi, Mein Bowl and Brioche Dore at the Nebraska Cafe, Subway, Quickfire Grille and Oh Oh Burrito at the Clarkson Cafe.
“Approximately two years ago, Sodexo surveyed the campus on the styles of food they’d like to see served,” said Thomas Hoffman, Sodexo director of food service. Popular responses included sandwich concepts and bakery concepts, and “sushi was high on the list,” he said.
In addition to the new vendors, the cafes were redesigned and new signage was added. The Subway location in Clarkson Cafe is now open to accommodate the third shift, Hoffman said.
Although the ribbon cuttings will mark their official opening, the new-look cafes have been in operation since January, and the result has been positive.
“So far, the response has been great,” said Hoffman.
The official ribbon cuttings will be held at 9 a.m. Thursday at the Nebraska Cafe and 9:30 a.m. Thursday at the Clarkson Cafe.
Isn't this a health care facility? Don't I get chastised because I smoke and it isn't healthy? But, showing sweets as the main picture for the ribbon-cuttings for the new cafes is showing healthy food choices? I guess it's not ok for me to smoke, but it is ok for UNMC to promote obesity, diabetes, heart disease and other poor health choices in their cafeterias? And why is it that people pay much less for a cheeseburger and fries than they do for the salad bar? Isn't that counter productive to us promoting healthier living? Our cafeterias have outstanding food and wonderful staffs, but if UNMC is going to use chastising smokers on the excuse of "being a health care facility" then shouldn't they do the same for everyone?