Dining

Mason residential and retail dining locations are open. We’ve implemented several safety precautions.

On the Fairfax Campus, Southside and Ike’s will follow precautionary protocols.

There will be areas where up to 10 percent of diners will be able to maintain six feet of distance if they are unvaccinated or choose to sit apart. If you’re unvaccinated, you must maintain physical distance when in line, and wear your mask when you aren’t eating.
Hand sanitizer stations will be available throughout the facilities.
Where possible, technology will replace person-to-person interaction, including ordering, contact payment options, and check-in.
Plexiglass barriers will remain in use between point-of-sale registers, food stations and payment terminals.
Most stations will offer made-to-order meals prepared by a station attendant.
There will be no multi-touch self-serve food and drink options such as buffets, salad bars, and drink stations.
Self-serve options that offer hands-free or one-touch capabilities (such as beverage stations that allow you to fill a glass without touching the dispenser) will be available. Dining staff will clean one-touch stations every 30 minutes.
Staff will clean tables periodically, and clean and disinfect food and beverage stations throughout the day as needed.
Microwaves and toasters will be available in residential dining halls, and disinfectant wipes will be offered to wipe down high-touch areas between uses.

Southside and Ike’s will not offer take-out service; grab-and-go locations such as Gold Rush on the Fairfax Campus will be available.

Retail facilities will follow the guidelines set for residential dining, as well as some additional precautions.

Seating will allow for maximum capacity. There will be areas where up to 10 percent of diners will be able to maintain six feet of distance if they are unvaccinated or choose to sit apart. If you’re unvaccinated, you must maintain physical distance when in line, and wear your mask when you aren’t eating.
Contactless payment options will be available for patrons with meal plans, Bonus, Freedom, and/or Mason Money funds.

Samples of food and drinks will be allowed.
Most retail dining locations will offer delivery and pick-up services utilizing Starship robots and GrubHub Campus.

Campus groups and organizations should use a university-approved caterer. Sodexo is Mason’s preferred on-campus catering company.

All Mason employees involved in the event must have green Mason COVID Health Check status.
Dining employees and Mason attendees/employees should follow University Policy 1415 COVID Public Health and Safety Precautions – Face Coverings.

Mason Dining will provide hand sanitizer and disposable gloves for attendee’s use.
There will be areas where up to 10 percent of diners will be able to maintain six feet of distance if they are unvaccinated or choose to sit apart. If you’re unvaccinated, you must maintain physical distance when in line and when seated, and wear a mask when you aren’t eating.
There will be no multi-touch self-serve food and drink options such as buffets, salad bars, and drink stations.
Catering attendants must serve most food and beverages. There will be exceptions for hands-free or one-touch options (for example, pre-made dishes that guests can pick up.) Catering staff will clean one-touch areas every 30 minutes.
Servers will avoid touching items on tables while customers are seated. Dedicated staff will remove all items from the table when attendees leave.
Dining employees and attendees must have access to handwashing stations.