Mercer University has revamped dining on its Atlanta campus in response to student requests and catering needs. Located in the Student Affairs Building, the cafeteria once known as Toby’s has been transformed into The Drop, a virtual kitchen experience with contactless food pickup.
Ken Boyer, associate vice president for auxiliary services, said Mercer Culinary Group has taken what it has learned from the success of The Drop location on the Macon campus and used it to create an Atlanta dining experience that better meets the needs of its unique student population.
“Mercer wanted to create greater consistency in the dining experience across both the Macon and Atlanta campuses while introducing more innovation and flexibility for the Atlanta campus community,” Boyer said. “By extending our partnership with Mercer Culinary Group, we gained the expertise and flexibility necessary to turn that vision into a reality.”
The Drop is open Monday through Thursday from 7:30-10 a.m. for breakfast and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. for lunch/dinner; and Friday, 7:30-10 a.m. for breakfast and 11 a.m.-3 p.m. for lunch. The restaurant offers made-to-order daily staples like burgers, chicken tenders and fries, as well as a rotating menu.
“The rotating menu is an important part of keeping the dining experience fresh and giving guests more variety,” said Vivian Byrd, food service director and executive chef for the Atlanta campus. “Rotating selections will allow our culinary team to introduce different cuisines, seasonal flavors and plant-forward dishes. We plan to refresh these offerings regularly, so guests have opportunities to discover something new while still having access to the favorites they know and enjoy.”
In addition to the rotating menus, offerings include breakfast items, pizza, customizable salads and sandwiches, freshly prepared entrées and comfort-food favorites, and boba and coffee beverages, said Ed Robertson, district manager of Mercer’s Macon and Atlanta campuses.
“These additions give us more flexibility to respond to student preferences and introduce new flavors and concepts throughout the academic year,” he said. “Ultimately, the goal was to modernize the dining experience while providing convenient, high-quality options that better reflect how students dine today.”
Mercerians can order food through a mobile app or a kiosk in the building.
“It allows them to place orders before they leave their classroom or office, and their food will be ready when they get there,” Boyer said. “We’re hoping the new options will satisfy everyone’s cravings with a rotating menu and add some spice with the changes. Students were looking for expanded options.”
In addition to a revamped look, the dining area has been outfitted with upgraded equipment and enhanced technology, Byrd said.
“The space received a comprehensive refresh to create a cleaner, more modern and welcoming environment,” Byrd said. “We also looked at the space from an operational standpoint to improve efficiency and create an environment that can support a broader variety of food concepts and service needs.”
In addition, Mercer Culinary Group has switched from an outside catering vendor for its Atlanta campus events to in-house catering services, Boyer said. These expanded catering options will make it easier for student and campus groups to incorporate food into their meetings and programs, Byrd said.
