For some Ball State students, the Atrium’s Chick-fil-A quickly becomes a routine of on-campus living.

“I go to Chick-fil-A literally every day,” first-year communications major Avah Miner said. 

Despite being tucked into the Atrium, the line of chicken-craving students is usually visible when students enter the Arts and Journalism Building. 

“I timed it once, I’ve waited in line for like 45 minutes,” Gisele Westfall, first-year elementary education major, said. 

However, the location of the popular chain will be moving to North Dining in the near future, according to Ball State University Dining. The move has been tentatively slated for January 2024 and will include an upgrade to the existing location. 

“The new Chick-fil-A will not be an express location as it is in the Atrium, we will have [an] expanded menu option,” Karen Adkins, senior director of auxiliaries for university dining and catering, said via email. “At this time, we are still putting together the menu.”

Adkins said customers will be able to enter and place their orders from the east side of the North Dining Building (off McKinley Avenue). The area will take up what used to be the grilled food option and will be separate from the North Dining micro-restaurants, meaning students will be able to access the location in the same way they do with Starbucks. 

The project is being completed by Pridemark Construction and is currently estimated to cost $898,800 according to bid documents.

Construction plans include approximately 1,700 square feet of interior renovation within the first floor of the existing North Dining Facility. The changes include new interior finishes, wall layout and mechanical/electrical systems, according to documents from Purchasing Services.

Westfall lives in North West Hall and said she is personally excited about the move because it will put the location closer to her. However, for Miner who lives in Woodworth Complex, she said it’s a farther walk than she will likely still make. 

“I don’t know how I’ll feel about it in the rain and snow; I’ll have to order from one of those robot things,” Miner said. 

The Starship Delivery Robots were rolled out last year and allow students to get food delivered to their location from around campus.

Adkins included that the new location will require hiring new staff, as the North Dining location will be much larger.

The Daily News reached out to both Karen Adkins, senior director of auxiliaries for university dining and catering, and Andrew Walker, university content and media strategy manager, about the plans for the Atrium post-relocation. Both referenced an upcoming press release that would come out in October. Walker said there was “nothing else to share,” over email. 

While the new location is still under construction, Adkins said university dining and catering is “not quite ready to put that information out” and students can expect more details of the new location and the plans for the Atrium in October.

Contact Daniel Kehn with comments at daniel.kehn@bsu.edu or on X @daniel_kehn and contact Olivia Ground at olivia.ground@bsu.edu or on X @liv_ground_25.

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