This summer, the Courtyard Cafe is closed and undergoing renovations, according to College spokesperson Jana Barnello. The Cafe is set to reopen for the fall term.
This is the third time the Cafe has been renovated since spring 2025. The Cafe underwent renovations in spring 2025 to add new ordering kiosks and “Fresh Zone” retail machines, and again in summer 2025 to redecorate the dining area and remodel the layout to increase student-to-worker interaction after students complained about the first redesign.
In an email statement to The Dartmouth, Plodzik explained that the current renovations will continue to improve the food production line — which, according to the Campus services website, entails “enlarging” the Cafe’s “usable kitchen space” and “improving the kitchen’s flow and functionality for staff” — and refurnishing the Cafe’s dining area and food storage system.
“Much of the ventilation and refrigeration equipment was extremely old and needed to be replaced,” he wrote. “The previous renovations dealt with the installation of the ordering kiosks, the layout of a new service model, and the food production line.”
The Campus Services website also states that the renovation also plans to add “a new area to feature Fresh Zone vending items.”
In an email to The Dartmouth, Barnello explained that the Cafe’s renovation was split into two phases to allow the Cafe to reopen in the fall by the time of the grand reopening of the Hopkins Center for the Arts in fall 2025.
“The kitchen update and dining room refresh … were planned for this summer rather than last due to [the] timing of reopening of the Hop last fall,” she wrote. “... The Courtyard Cafe closes every summer, so this was a natural time to complete the remaining kitchen and dining room updates that were part of the original project scope.”
Plodzik wrote that he believes the renovations will positively impact students’ experience with the Hop.
“The completed project will improve the production capacity, and hence the speed of food that the Courtyard team will be able to efficiently and safely serve guests because of the additional cooking equipment and new layout,” he wrote. “It is exciting to see the Courtyard Cafe receive these updates and upgrades to better serve the campus.”
Katija Crawford ’28 expressed disappointment with the phased format of the Cafe’s renovations.
“I think [the renovations] are very frustrating, because we always get accommodated to the new layout and everything, and then it keeps changing,” she said.
Jenna Lodge ’28 said she was disappointed with the Cafe’s closure for the summer, but agreed with the project team’s decision to have the second renovations this summer.
“It kind of sucks that we’re not able to have [the Cafe] as an option this summer,” she said. “But it makes the most sense if they’re going to be doing renovations to have it in the summer, where there’s the least amount of students on campus. And I trust that they’re doing what is best for the campus and the community.”
Brandon Lee ’28 expressed confusion with the renovation’s purpose.
“I feel like this is the second or third time the Hop has been renovated in my time here,” he said. “I’m a little bit unsure what they’re doing each time.”
