New York Did Have Studio 54, now UMD has Studio 1208

Studio 1208’s current menu. Photo by Ben Carpenter

Looking for a new place to eat that’s close to campus and affordable? You don’t have to travel far because Studio 1208 opened on campus. Studio 1208 is a new dining opportunity that is located next to the food court, where the old Center Court restaurant used to be located. 

Studio 1208 opened its doors for service on Monday, Oct. 9, and I took the opportunity to stop by during its opening week to experience what it has to offer. Studio 1208 is a fast-casual-style restaurant similar to Culver’s. 

When I walked into the restaurant I was first greeted by a staff member who was there to offer help when it came to ordering. The ordering process is the same as what you can find in the food court. You place your food order and pay for it on a device, and it’s easy to use. (It’s also convenient that Studio 1208 accepts the same types of payment methods that the food court does, whether you have a meal plan, pay with a credit card, etc.) 

Once I placed my order and paid for it, I took a plastic tent that had my order number on it and found a table to sit at. I was there around 11:15 a.m., and so far I was the only person dining at the restaurant. Eventually, two other people came to dine there too. 

I had to wait for my food for less than five minutes. A staff member brought my food out to me, along with silverware and napkins. I had ordered the Texas BBQ Burger meal combo. It was nice to eat my meal off an actual plate versus out of a cardboard container like I would in the food court. 

Since I had ordered the combo meal, I got a fountain drink with that. I still had to get my own drink from the fountain, which is no big deal, but at least in the restaurant, they use real cups, whereas they use disposable, plastic cups in the food court. The staff was friendly, and they asked me how my food was, if I needed anything else with my meal, if I was done with my plate, the usual courteous things waiting staff would ask. 

The overall atmosphere of the restaurant is calming and quiet compared to eating in the food court. Being that the restaurant is located next to the food court, it doesn’t have its own aesthetics that separates it from the rest of the food court. I felt like I was still eating in the food court but in a more secluded location. Studio 1208, as of now, only offers food selections that you can already find throughout the food court. It is only the first week it has been open, so I’m sure it still needs time to create its own identity. 

If you’re craving something from the food court and actually have the time to sit down and eat, or want to have a casual lunch to talk with your friends or even a meal with a work colleague, then Studio 1208 is a good option for you. 

Studio 1208 is open Monday - Friday, 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. For more information about Studio 1208, listen to this audio story by Grant Jones.