We have a new freshman at UChicago, and due to many factors (distance home and airport hassle Thanksgiving weekend/preparing for finals/two weeks before winter break) thought it best for our son to remain on campus over the Thanksgiving recess. I have gathered from previous threads that there are a fair number of students who also choose to stay on campus, so am not concerned that he will lack company. However I AM concerned about how he will be able to feed himself during that break. From what I can gather the dining halls will operate on a limited schedule, but it appears that the University shuttle service does not operate during academic breaks - not an issue for most dorms, but it is for I-House students for whom every meal requires a mile and a half trip. Do any of you know more about what services will be available at that time? (The shuttles also haven’t been operating this week during orientation - does anyone have any insight into why that is?) Just trying to weigh our options…
Long time Chicagoan here (and part time Hyde Park resident) and so I can speak with some authority.
Thanksgiving is not when the cold weather starts to go full strength. For that you have to wait till mid January. For the record, this year during the first week of January it was over 40 degree until polar vortex kicked in until the end of the month. So you don’t need to worry about cold weather during Thanksgiving.
IIRC last few years most dining commons were opened for lunch on Thanksgiving Day. On last year Thanksgiving they even served turkey at lunch. But all dinning commons were closed for dinner.
I would recommend your kid talk to other friends that plan to stay thru Thanksgiving for dinning strategy. There have to be some upperclassmen that had done it before.
I am quite sure the new Trader Joe’s (replacing Treasure Island) and the Jewel at 61st and Cottage Grove will be opened on Thanksgiving Day. Trader Joe’s is only 15 minutes walk from I-House at 55th and Lake Park. Your kid can get some food there on Thanksgiving Day.
@newmaroonmom Our daughter has never come home for Thanksgiving for many of the same factors you mentioned. The first two years she had Thanksgiving with kids who were local. Last year she opted to stay in the dorm (BJ). Her house’s resident heads made the Thanksgiving meal that evening in their apartment for all those who stayed. I think the only problem with food was that there was too much of it. As for the shuttle, I asked her about it, and she said that it is running.
I appreciate your perspective @85bears46 - but recall seeing a thread somewhere on this forum from last year where a number of you were expressing concern over Thanksgiving flights being delayed/cancelled due to bad weather, so I don’t want to bank on walkability that time of year. I am really just trying to determine whether there is some kind of transportation available during that period.
I know the upperclassmen have arrived now, so hopefully my son can get some guidance from them. But if I am going to need to make alternative arrangements for him for the 4 day break I don’t have much time.
Thanks @NorthLeftCoast. Just to clarify, it is not just Thanksgiving Day I am concerned with - he needs to eat the other 3 days too 
So I am most interested to confirm whether the shuttles will be running (or if there is some other transportation available?) Re your daughter’s report about the shuttle, are you/she referring to now or to Thanksgiving break?
@newmaroonmom , there are bound to be some Chicagoland kids in your son’s dorm whose parents will be dying to meet other UChicago kids and will roll out invitations for Thanksgiving dinner, as happened to @NorthLeftCoast 's daughter (and also to me once upon a time). But, if not, an expedition to an eatery with others will be yet another chance to make friends.
I don’t have a kid at UChicago, but if they have a frig and or a microwave, how about sending them food through Amazon or any other food store in the area that delivers.
@CottonTales, yes I suppose he can get something delivered through UBER eats as well if the weather prohibits him from getting to the dining hall.
There is a difference between flights being delayed and a student being able to walk around campus to get to the nearest cafeteria. Your S is going to need to walk to classes and activities and the cafeteria during the winter…Thanksgiving time usually does not feel like winter so it should be ok, and it does sound like the shuttle runs daily…of course taxis, ubers and lyfts are always around too.
I live in Chicagoland and attended Northwestern…every year there is a program where alums host the many students staying around for Thanksgiving…many NU students stay around, including most of the internationals…perhaps UC has a similar program?
@newmaroonmom To clarify, my daughter says that the shuttles are currently running. Quoting from the UChicago’s Shuttle page, "The shuttles run year-round except on University-honored holidays. " It could be a reduced schedule for Thanksgiving, but they would post that before the holiday. There are plenty of opportunities for food since as you shared, dining halls are open except for Thanksgiving evening. I would guess that they will also be closed Saturday evening as they always are. All dorms have kitchens, so this could be the chance for him to make a favorite meal or get together with friends and make something together. He can get groceries from Trader Joe’s or from Jewel-Osco, or you can have things delivered. If he doesn’t like to cook, he and perhaps some of the other kids in his house can explore some of the restaurants on E. 53rd., or he/they could venture into other Chicago neighborhoods to try out their restaurants.
@newmaroonmom Your son has been admitted to one of the greatest institutions of higher learning in the world. He has shown that he is fairly smart and I suspect he can probably figure out how to feed himself 
You shouldn’t need to worry about him. The University of Chicago has approximately 7000 undergrads and has been around for around 125 years. Assuming on average of about 1000/class over those 125 years, that’s around 125k who have had to find sustenance and I’ve not heard of a single instance of a UChicago student starving. There are other things to worry about, but whether or not a 18-20 year old male can find food shouldn’t be one of them, it is in his DNA.
All kidding aside though, if it is looking for people to celebrate Thanksgiving with, I think he should let it be known that he’s staying on campus. Maybe look for a church or other place of worship to become part of and I’m sure he’ll be taken in.
The International House panic has really gotten out of control! The front door of International House is just about 1/4 mile from the restaurants at 57th and Blackstone, including Salonica and a Subway. And maybe 700 feet from a 6 bus stop where your student pass gets you a ride to the center of one of the most vibrant cities on Earth. (If you are willing to pay a few bucks, you can get the ride faster and closer on the Metra, too.)
What’s more, thanks to the marvels of neo-liberal economics, not only have University of Chicago students not starved so far, even over weekends with no meal service, but entrepreneurs have stepped forward to meet their needs at reasonable cost.
Your kids will be fine!
Is Harold’s Chicken open on Thanksgiving? Not turkey by any means, but a great alternative.
I think your son will be resourceful enough to figure things out. When it comes to food, college kids are pretty good at that!
Don’t think Hyde Park shuts down. Lol…
Agree with all the suggestions but just a tip that sometimes restaurants are, indeed, closed for T-Giving and the day after. Not sure about Chicago specifically but we’ve encountered that in other cities. There will no shortage of food in HP that weekend so this isn’t something to worry about - more an inconvenience than anything else. Stores will be open and students have gotten together to do some fun cooking as well as using the dining hall.
Edit to add: just call your eatery of interest to see what their T-Giving Thurs/Fri. schedule is.
Agree on Thanksgiving, but really don’t know anywhere that closes for the Black Friday crowds (if they do, they’re crazy).
^ @BrianBoiler, a particular restaurant might be open on T-Giving with a special seating and/or buffet but then closed the next day. A smaller, family owned might be closed T-Giving and opened the next day. A lot depends on location and type of eatery. That’s why it makes sense to call ahead. Black Friday on the Mag Mile is going to be different from what’s going on in various neighborhoods. But again - food won’t be a problem that weekend. Chicago is a large city with lots of options (in addition to the dining hall).
Loaf of bread and a jar of peanut butter?