In breaking news today, UMD Dining Services announced their intentions for the shuttered Ellicott Diner: conversion into a full-sized Roy Rogers restaurant. Amidst widespread speculation about what the university would do with the defunct facility, Dining Services spokeswoman Mary Brownie put out the following announcement earlier today: 

“We are proud to announce today our next partnership with Roy Rogers, which continues our longstanding mission to serve the food that UMD students deserve: one step above a Denny’s trash can. Despite the closing of Stamp’s Roy Rogers, we fully trust that the newly christened “Ellicott Rogers”, featuring favorites such as raw beef and Great Value Lemon-Lime Soda, will last at least twelve seconds longer.” 

Students’ response to today’s announcement was mixed. When interviewed by The Hare, senior business major Michael Thompson thought it was “the worst idea I’ve ever heard of, and I’m in Pi Kappa Alpha” while junior computer science major Calvin Wilson said “at least I could meet new people there, right?”

With remodeling already underway, it appears that College Park is set to welcome back the “King of Cowboys”. In unrelated news, PepsiCo has purchased the rest of the University of Maryland dining services, and will be renaming Yahentamitsi Dining Hall as “Caleb Bradham Hall”, after the company’s founder.

Image Credits: Clare Dombrosky