Daily Dose officially reopened in McLeod Hall Jan. 14, replacing the former Cafe McLeod with a rebranded, grab-and-go focused dining concept intended to serve students in the School of Nursing. Many Nursing students have expressed mixed reactions to the rebrand, noting that Daily Dose now offers fewer heartier and varied meal options than former Cafe McLeod.
Daily Dose occupies the same space as Cafe McLeod, which was a previous dining option for Nursing students, faculty and staff that offered coffee, pastries and build-your-own bagels. While the location remains unchanged, the name, branding and official menu have been updated as part of the transition.
The space is operated by Aramark — the University’s contracted dining services provider — from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Andrew Smith, marketing manager for Aramark Collegiate Hospitality, wrote in an email to The Cavalier Daily that the rebrand was intended to modernize the cafe’s identity and reflect a shift in focus.
“We rebranded Cafe McLeod to Daily Dose to better reflect its transition into a grab-and-go-focused concept,” Smith wrote. “The new name and brighter visual identity are designed to be more appealing and recognizable for students, faculty and staff.”
Smith added that the rebrand includes updated offerings from previous years. According to U.Va. Dine’s website, Daily Dose offers beverages and grab-and-go items made fresh daily, including wraps, sandwiches and build-your-own bagels.
Cafe McLeod previously offered build-your-own bagels served with either a 16 ounce coffee or a fountain beverage through the meal-exchange option. Currently, the only meal-exchange option available at Daily Dose is a small hot coffee paired with a pastry.
The cafe also carries Java City beverages including fruity refreshers and cold brew coffee, as well as pastries from Whisk, which is another dining option available to students in Gaston Hall and Crossroads at Observatory Hill. These items can be purchased through Cav Cash, Dining Dollars and credit or debit cards.
Despite these updates, Student Council Nursing Rep. Deeya Rajashekara said students' reactions to the rebranding have been mixed. She noted that while students were initially optimistic, many nursing students were dissatisfied once the menu for Daily Dose was announced.
“When it first opened, people were very optimistic. They were like ‘oh we’re excited to try this nice place,’” Rajashekara said. “But once they heard about the options being offered at Daily Dose, a lot of them were very upset.”
Rajashekara said Cafe McLeod previously offered a wider range of meal-exchange options, including bagel sandwiches and soups, which many nursing students relied on between classes. In contrast, she said that Daily Dose’s menu feels more limited and focused on pastries rather than heartier options.
“A lot of the nursing constituents that I was talking to were saying that they wanted more substantial meals where it would keep them full for more than just one or one and a half hours,” Rajashekara said. “I think they were more happy with the other options that Cafe McLeod offered.”
She added that other students have expressed similar concerns regarding current offerings as being restrictive for students seeking gluten-free or healthier dietary preferences.
Rajashekara said that the hours — 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. — may be the reason most nursing students have expressed their need for healthier meals. She emphasized that nursing students have tightly packed schedules during this time, making quick, filling meal options especially important. While larger dining options such as Gaston or Crossroads offer more substantial meals, Rajashekara noted that their distance and waiting times make them difficult to access during short breaks between classes.
Aimee Lu, vice president of the Nursing Student Council and fourth-year Nursing student, echoed similar concerns as Rajashekara in an email to The Cavalier Daily. Lu said the rebrand has reduced the number of lunch options available to busy nursing students.
“It was once known for build-your-own bagels, but it has now been simplified to refreshers and grab-and-go salads,” Lu wrote. “However, there are no longer many lunch options for busy nursing students rushing to class.”
Lu said that while Daily Dose’s location is convenient for nursing students since it is right next to their classes, she often opts for her own protein shakes, yogurt or caffeine instead due to the limited healthy choices offered by the location. She added that the expansion of nutritious and filling options could benefit nursing students, particularly during high-stress academic periods.
“I believe that adding healthier food options in the future would highly benefit the nursing student population, especially during stressful exam weeks, where we can apply our health practices into our everyday lives,” Lu wrote.
In response to student feedback, Rajashekara plans to conduct a survey to formally document nursing students’ concerns. In addition, she said she plans to present the survey results to U.Va. Dine and advocate for the expansion of more meal-exchange or to-go options at Daily Dose.
“The best-case scenario would be heartier meals and to-go options for meal exchange,” Rajashekara said.
Rajashekara acknowledged that Daily Dose operates under a different corporation, but she said she hopes to work with U.Va. Dine and Daily Dose representatives to find a compromise. If progress stalls, she said she may pursue a Student Council resolution.
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