smithjn2@lopers.unk.edu
After a few fishy setbacks at the beginning of this spring, UNK is pursuing a different venture with Chick-fil-A. In November 2023, the fast-food chain, Long John Silvers, will take Chick-fil-A’s place in the Nebraska Student Union.
Ben Sahd, a representative of UNK’s Internal Communication team, shared his excitement for the new restaurant.
“When discussions for the replacement started, I was all hands on deck for Long John Silvers,” Sahd said. “It was all the buzz across every department, and all the faculty members were so excited to share the news.”
Since classes started this spring, technical difficulties with fryers impacted the production of food which caused a closure for the business.
“UNK administration realized that this small issue could become much bigger in the future, so it was decided this problem amongst others would be fixed while also giving the campus a new look,” Sahd said.
Chick-fil-A will permanently close at the end of this semester in preparation for the next school year. On Nov. 6, construction crews will make changes to the current facility. Construction will include Long John Silver’s signage and updates to kitchen supplies, such as new grills, registers and refrigerators.
The change of businesses and improvements will require a large budget, and administrators agreed to make any contributions needed for a smooth transition.
“We deemed it appropriate to take all the necessary steps to make sure Long John Silver’s opening and production through the year have no issues and our budget reflects that,” said Anita Jobb, a member of Business and Finance at UNK. “In total, the renovations will cost around $2 million. This is a huge opportunity for UNK, and we are excited to hear how the students reciprocate the news.”
Similarly to how Chick-fil-A was introduced to the campus, UNK asked for students feedback about what they would like to see.
“They only gave us Long John Silver’s or Taco Johns as an option on the survey they sent out,” said Jo King, a junior at UNK. “I think people voted for Long John Silver’s as a joke because we didn’t think they would actually replace it. Who would choose fried fish over Potato Olés?”
Briccant says that it was “almost unanimous” that the fast-food chain would take the opening space.
“Long John Silvers won by a landslide,” Jobb said. “I mean, 1,500 more students voted for the restaurant as a replacement, so you can imagine my confusion when an outpour of angry emails and calls started coming in.”
The project is expected to finish in June of 2024.
