Smoothie King Opens at Nicholls, Anchoring Dining Expansion

This fall, Nicholls State University marked an exciting new chapter with the grand opening of Smoothie King in the Student Union. The full-service spot has quickly become a favorite among students, faculty, and staff, thanks to its menu and the lively promotions that introduced it to campus.

During its launch week, Nicholls Dining introduced Smoothie King with a series of events and giveaways that generated buzz across campus. The excitement was part of a broader effort by Sodexo and the Nicholls Dining team to bring in-demand options to the university while creating an environment where dining is about connection as much as it is about convenience.

“Smoothie King is a national brand that students immediately recognize, and it’s been embraced from day one,” said Nicholls Dining leadership. “The response shows just how much these kinds of additions resonate with our campus community.”

While Smoothie King has taken center stage, other new dining concepts have also gained quick traction. Pressed, a panini-focused eatery in the food court, served 475 paninis in August alone, with the Classic Panini ranking as the top seller. Serrano, located alongside it, dished out 432 burritos, 237 burrito bowls and 103 loaded nachos in its first month. Their popularity reflects Nicholls Dining’s adaptability. When students recently asked for chips and salsa as a standalone option at Serrano, the dining team made it available. Menus are regularly adjusted based on requests, underscoring Sodexo’s approach of tailoring national and in-house concepts to local preferences.

Longtime Sodexo brands such as Grilled and The Grid continue to be reliable mainstays on campus. Together, the mix of established and new options demonstrates Sodexo’s ongoing effort to evolve its offerings to meet the needs of Nicholls students.

Galliano Dining Hall also saw several upgrades this fall, including an expanded salad bar with wraps and house-made dressings, a coffee bar featuring rotating seasonal flavors, and infused waters prepared with surplus fruits and vegetables as a sustainability measure.

The creativity has extended beyond the menus. At the start of the semester, Dining Services interns dressed as avocado and toast to promote new Hearty & Grain Loaded Toast options, a lighthearted gesture that sparked attention during Welcome Back Week.

Looking ahead, Nicholls Dining plans to keep building on its momentum. A full-service drive-thru Starbucks restaurant is scheduled to open next fall, adding another nationally recognized brand to campus.

For now, Smoothie King remains the headline act — a clear example of how Nicholls Dining is re-imagining campus food service while keeping students’ voices at the center of the process.