Weeks ago, excitement spread through campus after students discovered Gannon University was listed as a licensed location on the website of the popular fast- food restaurant, Chick-fil-A.
Unfortunately, it has since been revealed that Chick-fil-A will not be coming to Gannon’s campus.
Details listed on the location finder feature of Chick-fil-A’s corporate website cited that Doc’s Landing Food Court would have limited hours for serving the national chain’s meals from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Mondays.
This buzz was only further supported by a January article by QSR Magazine, which claimed Metz Culinary Management, the dining service provider at Gannon, had recently launched a new program to bring fast food service chain restaurants to small campuses in Pennsylvania.
As stated in the article, Lebanon Valley College, Niagara University and Gannon University are all serviced by Metz.
According to QSR, the program started after Chick-fil-A opened a branch at Misericordia University in Dallas, Pa., in November 2016.
Metz used this relationship to help develop projects with other schools and brands and has also developed relationships with other chain restaurants such as Subway, Einstein Brothers, Tim Hortons, Pizza Hut and Starbucks.
According to Peter Mannarelli, the general manager of Metz Gannon, the university was discussing the possibility of placing a Chick-fil-A franchise on campus, but the developments were not fruitful. Mannarelli is currently in the process of having Gannon removed as a licensed location on the Chick-fil-A website.
Logan Wasielewski, a junior software engineering and computer science major, said he was not aware of the rumors until very recently, but also claimed to feel let down.
“I wish we had more variety in our meal choices [at on-campus food locations] and had a better value for what we pay for our meals,” he said.
Alayna Barton, a senior physician assistant major and former Chick-fil-A employee, also expressed disappointment.
“I feel like Gannon needs to partner with some healthy alternative restaurants to bring variety to campus if Chick-fil-A is not an option,” she said.
“Even if opening a Chick-fil-A is not an option, I hope Metz would explore the option of using Chick-fil-A catering even if it only happened one day a week.”

KATE ROBB
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