Aramark Announced as New LMU Food Services Provider

With Sodexo’s 10-year agreement concluding in 2025, in spring 2024 LMU began an assessment of its campus dining priorities and evaluation of food service management companies to ensure the best possible services for the community.

A Dining Services Request for Proposals (RFP) was issued in fall 2024 to ensure a fair and responsible vendor selection process. Sodexo was invited to submit a proposal. After thorough consideration, LMU determined Aramark Collegiate Hospitality as best meeting the needs and expectations of LMU – including quality, variety, sustainability, value, staffing, transition, and training – as well as alignment with LMU’s long-term vision for campus dining. 

The decision was made by a cross-departmental committee with representation from faculty, staff, and students. In addition to the RFP process, campus community input was taken into account, including focus groups, open forums, sourcing online feedback, and annual satisfaction survey results.

Aramark Collegiate Hospitality best met the needs and expectations of LMU – including quality, variety, sustainability, value, staffing, transition, and training – as well as alignment with LMU’s long-term vision for campus dining.

Aramark is recognized as a leading food services provider, serving more than 275 universities and colleges in the U.S. including the largest number of Jesuit universities of any provider. 

LMU students can look forward to refreshed menu options, better value, and more dining choices. A major new offering will be renovating The Lair and adopting an “All-You-Care-to-Eat” (AYCTE) model starting in fall 2026, enhancing dining flexibility and creating more opportunities for connection in shared dining spaces.

The new partnership also includes planned updates to Founders Pavilion and University Hall dining options, Sonia’s on the LLS campus, along with mobile and stand-alone food carts around campus for on-the-go eating.

Value is a key component of the new partnership, and the new “All-You-Care-to-Eat” model will offer more, while in line with current meal-plan pricing. Details on updated meal-plan offerings and pricing will be announced prior to implementation in fall 2026.

Any incremental yearly price increases similar to what LMU students have seen in the past are reliant on a variety of factors including inflation and labor costs, not LMU’s food services partners.

Current on-campus restaurants will be reassessed under the new contract and may be replaced or upgraded with new comparable dining and retail options.

The campus coffee and boba carts will continue to be operated by the Yu family.

If you have already submitted a catering request for an event after the transition, Aramark will honor your original order. Customers may also choose to update their order to include new menu options. For questions, please contact transitioncatering@lmu.edu.

LMU encourages gift card holders to use any remaining balance before summer 2025 to avoid any complications.