Chick-fil-A officially returned to Iowa State University's campus Tuesday, more than 20 years after it last served students there, opening inside the Memorial Union in Ames. The new restaurant began serving customers at 10 a.m. in a space that once housed ISU Dining's MU Market & Café, and university officials expect it to create about 50 full- and part-time jobs.
More than two decades after leaving campus, Chick-fil-A's comeback closes out a long hiatus, according to the Ames Tribune. The chain previously operated a location on Iowa State's campus from 1996 to 2004, per Inside Iowa State, before the new restaurant moved into the first-floor space formerly occupied by the MU Market & Café.
How Iowa State Picked Chick-fil-A
Iowa State selected Chick-fil-A as its preferred partner after putting out a request for proposals and reviewing submissions, the university's own publication noted. Student interest in additional national dining options largely drove the decision to bring the chain back to campus, according to officials cited by Iowa State Daily. Memorial Union director Chad Garland said the addition was expected to increase energy and foot traffic at the union, the same university report noted.
The restaurant occupies roughly 2,085 square feet of space on the first floor of the Union, according to documents filed with the Iowa Board of Regents. Before Tuesday's opening, construction was anticipated to conclude and service to begin within the 2026–2027 academic year, per the same university article. Chick-fil-A now joins other national brands already operating on campus, including Panda Express, Starbucks, Sushi-Do and Godfather's Pizza.
What the Lease Spells Out
What the Lease Spells Out The approved lease has an initial 10-year term and one mutually agreed-upon five-year renewal option. It includes commission rates of 4 percent to Iowa State for the first five years, rising to 10 percent for years six through 10 and remaining at 10 percent if the renewal is exercised. The lease also includes a one-time payment of $750,000 from Iowa State to Chick-fil-A for building infrastructure and system upgrades.
Notably, the Regents agenda asked the Property and Facilities Committee to recommend approval of the lease and related easements to the full Board. The Board of Regents approved the lease on Wednesday.
The returning restaurant is expected to create about 50 full- and part-time jobs, according to the Ames Tribune's report. Combined with the anticipated boost in Memorial Union foot traffic that Garland described, the opening marks one of the more visible dining changes on campus in recent years.
