Operations Continued When the Cafeteria Closed: Lehigh University Set Up a Temporary Dining Area in One Week

When a university cafeteria closes for renovation or technical maintenance, it means more than just a physical space being temporarily unavailable. The meal plans for hundreds of people, production capacity, equipment layout, staff flow, and supply processes also need to be reestablished.

In the summer of 2026, Lehigh University in Pennsylvania faced exactly this issue. The university's main dining venue, Rathbone Dining Hall, was closed for the summer due to HVAC system renovations. However, since students attending summer classes, camps, and conference groups continued to be present on campus, it was not possible to halt food service. Lehigh's own summer accommodation page announced in advance that all summer meals would be provided through the temporary all-you-care-to-eat system at the University Center.

According to a report by FoodService Director dated August 17, 2026, the Lehigh Dining team, operated by Sodexo, converted the retail dining area within the Clayton University Center into a temporary residential dining operation as a solution.

The Challenge Was Not Just Finding a New Service Point

The team received the information about Rathbone Dining Hall's closure in the middle of the spring semester. Preparations for the temporary operation needed to be made before the summer session began; however, the time available for physically moving equipment was quite short.

According to FoodService Director, there was approximately a one-week gap between the end of the spring semester and the start of summer classes. The team had to get the new space ready for service within this short time frame.

The operational challenge here was not just changing the dining hall. The area designed for retail dining needed to be adapted to work with a residential dining system that operates on an unlimited meal model.

The two formats do not operate under the same kitchen logic.

In a retail dining point, the customer selects a specific product and pays, while in the residential dining model, a broader menu, different service stations, peak meal times, and re-entry behaviors may emerge. Therefore, capacity, equipment, and service flow needed to be rethought.

The Menu Was Maintained According to Demand, Not Existing Equipment

One notable aspect of the Lehigh team's approach was that they did not limit the menu solely to the equipment available in the temporary space.

According to FoodService Director, they wanted to continue offering the popular made-to-order "build-your-own omelet" service among students. Since only a char grill was available in the temporary area at Clayton University Center, the flat-top grill from Rathbone was dismantled and moved to the new area.

Additionally, cash registers, self-order kiosks, and other equipment were also brought to the temporary operation area.

This approach highlights an important distinction when planning temporary service in large F&B operations:

Before asking "What do we have here?" the question should be "What service standard do we need to maintain?"

Not every product needs to be preserved exactly as it was. However, maintaining a few key products that are in high demand from guests or users can facilitate the acceptance of the temporary operation.

A Balance Between Menu Simplification and Service Standards Is Needed

Trying to maintain the entire menu in its old form during temporary operations can also pose risks.

The new area's electrical capacity, hot and cold production capabilities, ventilation, storage space, and service line may not be the same as the previous facility. Therefore, menu decisions should be reconsidered based on both customer expectations and physical capacity.

The Lehigh Dining team tried to stay as close as possible to the menu they normally offered during the summer while determining which equipment needed to be moved.

This is a viable method, especially for businesses experiencing renovations in hotels, kitchen upgrades in conference centers, or seasonal capacity changes in resort operations.

First, "critical products" can be identified:

The most in-demand products, options that meet special dietary needs, key products that are part of the service identity, and meals that can be produced smoothly in high volumes.

Products that are less in demand, require high preparation time, or need too much equipment in the new area can be removed during the temporary period.

Moving Equipment Is Not Just One Department's Job

In the case of Lehigh, another factor that ensured the continuation of operations was the collaboration of different units.

According to FoodService Director, the catering department provided vehicle support for moving equipment. The marketing team coordinated communication with Auxiliary Services, conference teams, and students. The frequency of meetings increased from bi-weekly to weekly as the process progressed, and as the opening approached, it became daily.

This detail is critical from an operational perspective.

In temporary F&B operations, the kitchen team is often centralized; however, success is not determined solely by the kitchen.

The technical team must ensure the safe connection of the equipment. Logistics must plan the order of transport. Purchasing must organize the flow of new products. The marketing or communication team must guide users. IT and payment teams must make the POS and kiosk systems operational.

For large businesses, a real business continuity plan comes into play here.

Self-Order Kiosks Became Part of the Temporary Capacity

The Lehigh team also moved self-order kiosks along with cash register systems to the temporary area.

This technology alone does not solve the capacity issue; however, it can reduce the bottleneck at the point where customers place orders. Especially when transitioning from a retail format to residential service, if user flow changes, the payment and ordering process may need to be evaluated separately from physical meal production.

Lehigh's overall dining system already utilizes residential dining, retail dining, grab-and-go, food trucks, and various campus locations together. The university's official dining page states that Rathbone Dining Hall is also a large resident dining point with eight different dining platforms.

Therefore, the temporary closure of Rathbone represented a larger capacity problem than just a small outlet loss.

The Second Challenge of Temporary Operations: Return

Another detail highlighted in the FoodService Director report is the return of equipment to its original location after the operation is completed.

While there was approximately a one-week window to set up the temporary area at the beginning of summer, there was no similar time advantage for the return to Rathbone. Therefore, the return of equipment was done gradually, and students were regularly informed about menu changes.

This is often the second cost of temporary operations that goes unnoticed.

When a business sets up a temporary kitchen or service point, it often focuses on the opening. However, the return also requires separate project management.

Equipment will need to be dismantled, transported, cleaned, reconnected, and tested. Stock will need to be balanced between two locations. Staff assignments will change again. The menu will need to be reverted to the old capacity.

Thus, a temporary F&B operation should be planned in three stages, not two:

normal operation → temporary operation → return to normal operation.

How Can a Similar Scenario Be Established for Hotels and Restaurants?

The Lehigh example comes from university dining services, but the same logic can be applied to hotels and restaurants.

If a hotel's main kitchen is undergoing ventilation renovations, where will breakfast service be produced?

If a resort restaurant is closing for renovations, which outlet will half-board guests be directed to?

If kitchen equipment is being changed in a mall restaurant, will takeout remain open?

In such cases, the business must clarify the following points before the renovation:

What is the current daily maximum capacity? How many people can the temporary area accommodate? Which products must be preserved? Which equipment needs to be moved? Is the electrical, water, and ventilation sufficient? How will food safety be maintained in the temporary area? Will staff assignments change? When will changes be communicated to guests?

A well-prepared temporary operation plan not only reduces revenue loss but also alleviates the pressure on employees to constantly come up with immediate solutions during a crisis.

The Biggest Risk for Employees Is Uncertainty

One of the main issues employees face in temporary operations is adjusting to the new physical layout.

Familiar equipment may be elsewhere. The service line may change. Access to storage may take longer. The POS point may differ. Teams that normally do not work together may operate in the same area.

In Lehigh, making meetings daily as the opening approached was therefore meaningful.

During such periods, simply providing employees with a new task list may not be sufficient. The area should be tested before service begins, real order scenarios should be tried, and equipment bottlenecks should be identified.

The FoodService Director report indicates that the team also tried to reduce disruptions by testing systems during the pre-opening process.

Stafflink's Perspective

The most valuable aspect of the Lehigh University example is not that a temporary cafeteria was set up in a few days. It is the recognition that the continuity of operations should be treated as a separate project from construction.

Renovation plans in restaurants, hotels, or mass catering businesses typically progress through construction budgets, project timelines, and the design of the new area. However, if the business is not going to close completely, a second project is being carried out simultaneously: how will we continue to feed existing customers or guests?

In our view, the center of this plan should not only be equipment but also employees.

In the new physical environment, which path will the team take, which product will be prepared where, who will be responsible for which station during peak times, and who will communicate changes to users?

If these questions are answered only after the renovation begins, it may be too late.

The Lehigh example shows that a temporary operation does not have to be a "survival period." When planned correctly, it can become a real operational test that demonstrates how flexible a business can operate in a crisis.