Students entering Tresidder Memorial Union this fall have encountered several new dining options amidst familiar favorites like Subway, Kikka Sushi and Panda Express. But their feelings towards these new restaurants are mixed, with health, affordability and a lack of student input among their top concerns.
Round Table Pizza, a chain with over 400 locations nationwide, began baking fresh personal pizzas for students at the beginning of summer quarter. Meanwhile, Zaida’s Kitchen, which boasts a food truck, several farmers market appearances and catering services, opened its first storefront in Tressider at the start of fall quarter, serving up authentic Oaxacan Mexican cuisine. A Wetzel’s Pretzels — a pretzel chain with 370 locations — will also open shortly, according to signage at Tressider.
R&DE Chief Communications and Marketing Officer Jocelyn Breeland said that when choosing new vendors, R&DE considers the food options already available on campus and feedback from students, faculty, staff and visitors to continue meeting the diverse tastes and preferences of the Stanford community. R&DE also strives to balance nationally recognized brands with local minority-owned vendors — such as Zaida’s — to create a well-rounded and inclusive dining experience.
However, while new stores have opened, Curry Up Now — which served fusion Indian street food at Tresidder — has closed, disappointing some students by removing what they viewed as a “healthier” option.
“I used to eat all the time at Curry Up since it had a variety of chicken options and was healthier,” Alexander Ekpo-Otu ’26 said.
Ekpo-Otu said he is concerned the offerings at Tresidder have overall become less healthy.
“R&DE should be looking to provide healthier options that supplement the dining hall food,” Ekpo-Otu said. “I think right now they’re treating it as a place where students would eat at once a month, but I know a lot of people who eat at Tresidder every single day, or close to that.”
Ekpo-Otu noted that since Arrillaga Family Dining Commons and Lakeside Dining have reduced their hours of operation, students’ dining options at certain hours of the day are very limited, making it difficult to find healthy options.
Although R&DE shared with The Daily a link to the feedback portal where students and customers can share their suggestions at any time, many students seemed unaware that R&DE would even consider their input. Ekpo-Otu said he didn’t even know students had the opportunity to provide suggestions.
Lileah Thao ’27 said R&DE cares about student opinions but said it is “not really clear how we can give input.”
Kenneth Ma ’25 similarly shared his wish that R&DE would more widely advertise the opportunity for student input.
“I have friends who have so many thoughts,” Ma said. “I’ve heard lots of ideas from people, especially with a lot of people saying that we could maybe have a Chipotle here.”
Although Tresidder offers a wide range of cuisines, not all of them appeal to the students who frequent the space. Thao appreciates the variety of food offered but also said that she’s “not a big fan” of many of the options. Charlotte Yan ’27 said she’s currently not enjoying Zaida’s Kitchen.
Students are also concerned about the cost of eating at Tresidder.
“I find myself wasting a lot of money on ordering food, and my parents are definitely not very happy about that,” Ekpo-Otu said.
Ma voiced his appreciation for the wide range of fast food options available at Tresidder, but noted that “it would be nice to have more affordable options.” A grilled chicken burrito at Zaida’s Kitchen will run students $16 and a large Round Table pizza starts at $34.99.
Despite concerns, students are still looking forward to trying Tresidder’s new options, with both Yan and Thao sharing their excitement for Wetzel’s Pretzels.
“I’ve heard a lot of people rave about Wetzel’s Pretzels, so I’m more hopeful for that one,” Thao said.