# UK dining locations closing temporarily for summer upgrades **Published:** 2026-06-23T12:46:29.000Z **Source:** [University of Kentucky News](https://uknow.uky.edu/campus-news/some-uk-dining-locations-temporarily-close-summer-improvements) **AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) **Canonical:** https://feeds.lexingtonky.news/article/uk-dining-locations-closing-temporarily-for-summer-upgrades LEXINGTON, Ky. — The University of Kentucky is upgrading campus dining operations this summer with temporary closures at several dining locations to implement facility improvements, technology updates and service enhancements ahead of [the transition to Compass Group](https://uknow.uky.edu/campus-news/some-uk-dining-locations-temporarily-close-summer-improvements) as the university's preferred food service partner. Several campus dining spots will close for varying periods beginning June 29 as part of the work to enhance dining infrastructure and service. The Starbucks at Kentucky Clinic will close Monday, June 29, for a technology update and reopen Tuesday, June 30, with free drip and iced coffee available during the closure. The Starbucks at William T. Young Library will close June 29-July 5 and reopen Monday, July 6. Einstein Bros. Bagels will remain closed from June 29 through Aug. 23, reopening Aug. 24 as Uncommon Goods for the Commonwealth. The Blue Corner Store at The 90, formerly known as Wildcat Pantry, will close June 29-July 5 and reopen Monday, July 6. Meanwhile, the Social House at The 90, formerly the Fresh Food Company, will open Saturday, June 27. Champions Kitchen and Chick-fil-A at the Gatton Student Center will continue operating on summer hours. [Compass Group is scheduled to begin operations July 1](https://uknow.uky.edu/campus-news/uk-plans-reduce-meal-plan-costs-fall-5-through-enterprise-services-partnership), replacing dining and concessions services that had been managed by Aramark. The new partnership represents the first phase of a broader [Enterprise Services Partnership](https://evpfa.uky.edu/enterprise-services-partnership) designed to improve coordination across the university's growing campus, UK HealthCare, UK King's Daughters and UK St. Claire. The transition comes with a significant commitment to students: [The university announced in May that meal plan costs will decrease 5% starting next academic year](https://www.wkyt.com/2026/05/22/uk-announces-reduction-meal-plan-costs/). Compass Group also plans to introduce chef-inspired menu options, new service models and technology that will allow students to purchase meals seamlessly at any campus dining location. University officials said all current UK employees will retain their positions with comparable compensation and benefits under the partnership. Compass Group already employs more than 1,400 people supporting UK HealthCare and operates across the Commonwealth. ## Sources - [University of Kentucky News](https://uknow.uky.edu/campus-news/some-uk-dining-locations-temporarily-close-summer-improvements) - [UK dining improvements and meal plan reduction announcement](https://uknow.uky.edu/campus-news/uk-plans-reduce-meal-plan-costs-fall-5-through-enterprise-services-partnership) - [Enterprise Services Partnership information](https://evpfa.uky.edu/enterprise-services-partnership) - [Meal plan cost reduction announcement](https://www.wkyt.com/2026/05/22/uk-announces-reduction-meal-plan-costs/) --- This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from University of Kentucky News, enriched with 2 web searches. The original source is available at https://uknow.uky.edu/campus-news/some-uk-dining-locations-temporarily-close-summer-improvements.