This year, Moe’s Restaurant will take its place across from W.O.W. under Bergami Hall, but the question remains: when?

Moe’s will offer a variety of Southwestern foods, ranging from rice bowls to wraps and tacos. The ordering set-up will be similar to the Tex-Mex station in the Marketplace, where students and faculty can personalize their meals.

But students cannot enjoy these meals just yet, as there is a delay in the opening. Juan Dominguez, Sodexo general manager, said construction cannot start until the city of West Haven issues a building permit. After that, there is an 8-week window to open Moe’s. However, the real difficulty lies in getting the restaurant up and running properly. 

When construction is finished, the Sodexo staff needs to be trained.

“It is like trying to paint a moving train,” said Dominguez. “I think it’s going to be such a popular thing so we have to do it right.” 

The removal of Sandella’s was a result of its lack of popularity among students.

“We looked at the numbers on a daily basis, and Sandella’s was showing to retire,” said Dominguez. 

He said it is not just a matter of how much money came in. Foot traffic was also used to gauge the dining option’s success, and numbers were decreasing dramatically.

Dominguez said Moe’s should be a success among students and faculty, especially because their voices influenced this decision. 

“Innovation is always in front of us,” he said.

Dominguez used a campus-wide survey to learn what options students prefer on campus. When given the option to keep Sandella’s, the majority said no, and when asked what they would like instead, Moe’s won with a 60% majority.