UK is cutting ties with Aramark for food service. What happens to employees?

Over 900 dining employees at the University of Kentucky will be terminated from Aramark on June 30 as Aramark and UK part ways, according to a WARN notice sent to workers on April 29.

However, UK says it plans to hire the affected staff if it can.

Aramark, the company which oversaw UK’s food and concessions workers, said it “recently learned” that its contract with UK will end sooner than expected, according to the termination notice to employees.

“It is our understanding that most displaced workers typically have continued employment opportunities with the incoming provider,” Aramark said in the letter.

Jay Blanton, a spokesperson for UK, confirmed this in a statement to the Herald-Leader Wednesday.

“In fact, the intent of any new partner will be to hire those impacted by this announcement, subject to any new partner’s employment policies,” Blanton said. “The University has reiterated that commitment to our people and encouraged any new partner to do so.”

In total, 890 hourly workers and 36 salary workers will be affected by this “cessation of services,” Aramark said.

The 15-year contract between Aramark and UK was set to end in 2029, but the agreement allows UK to end the contract early, Blanton had told the Herald-Leader Monday.

The university was reviewing quotes from other companies to replace Aramark, Blanton said previously. UK is exploring an Enterprise Services Partnership, or a centralization effort in which the university plans to place not only cafeteria workers but also maintenance and custodial employees under a private company, which would be under a 30-year contract.

“We are finalizing negotiations with another partner,” Blanton told the Herald-Leader in a phone call Wednesday. Blanton said the new company to employ dining, custodial and maintenance workers will be chosen “in the very near future,” but declined to share when.

Maintenance and custodial workers are employed by UK, not a private vendor like Amamark, so they will not be affected, Blanton said.

“They are UK employees today, they will be UK employees tomorrow,” he said.

This story may be updated as more information becomes available.

This story was originally published May 6, 2026 at 3:33 PM.