The day doesn’t end at sundown for many University of Mississippi students. Between late-night study sessions, football games and bar crawls on the Square, students often find themselves craving calories long after many restaurants are closed.
Late-night eateries are best when easily accessible on foot, fast and delicious. In Oxford, three local businesses have earned a reputation for satisfying all three criteria: Feedlot, Chicken on a Stick and Munchies Chicken and Waffles.
Feedlot
What started as a plan to serve football weekend crowds quickly became a late-night staple. Since there are limited food options on the Square after sit-down restaurants close, Feedlot carved out a niche serving customers out late or heading home.
Owners Jeff Goss and Dwayne Dunn discovered the demand for late-night food in Oxford in 2024. A year later, the co-owners opened Feedlot, a Texas-style food truck serving smoked meats. The duo turned that demand into a business that now sees much of its traffic after midnight.
“It morphed into that late-night thing,” Goss said. “We decided we were going to do football weekends, and it ended up that we do about 90% of our business between 11:30 (p.m.) and 1:30 (a.m.) when the kids head off the Square.”
For Goss, late-night service is appealing because it lets his food truck become a part of the Square’s evening energy.
“The energy at night is insane — you have people singing out there, and my partner (Dunn), he was a rodeo guy, when people walk up … he’s got the big cowboy hat on, and he’s handing out menus and talking to people,” Goss said. “We kind of throw a party there in that parking lot.”
That lively atmosphere has also helped Goss and Dunn build a loyal customer base, with some fans from other schools returning to Oxford even when their teams are not playing the Rebels.
“We have a lot of regulars. We actually even have regulars from other teams when they come back (to Oxford), which has been crazy,” Goss said. “We had people that came back from the LSU game last year.”
Goss recalled meeting Cheryl Chambliss, Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss’ mother, when the lack of late-night food options brought her to the food truck.
“Part of the deal with Oxford is after a certain time you can’t get food, so we even had Trinidad Chambliss’s mom the weekend of the … Charlotte game,” Goss said. “(Cheryl Chambliss and her friends) came and sat with us for about half an hour to 45 minutes, just talking and eating.”
Chicken on a Stick
Ray Rupani, the owner of the 4 Corners Chevron at 502 South Lamar Blvd., believes that his restaurant contributes to the character of Oxford with its signature menu item — chicken on a stick.
“This isn’t just chicken, it’s a tradition in Oxford — it’s the spot,” Rupani said. “I’ve talked to people who graduated from here back in the 1970s, and they come back as alumni and say, ‘Oh, it’s still here.’ I’m just continuing the legacy of whoever started it a long, long time ago.”
Through Rupani’s 15 years serving the Oxford community, he has become familiar with the late-night crowd and has gotten to know many of the regulars.
“Pretty much everyone knows me around here because I’ve been here so long,” Rupani said. “They come hang out with me, take pictures, and it’s just fun.”
Those busy nights are what create the most memorable moments. Rupani recalled one group that turned a late-night food run into a party of sorts.
“One time, a crowd of people came and got their chicken on a stick,” Rupani said. “They all got on top of their Jeep with loud music, dancing with their chicken on a stick and taking videos.”
Rupani said he enjoys watching students mature into responsible members of the community.
“Initially, as freshmen, they don’t always know how to act, but eventually they learn,” Rupani said. “I’ve had a lot of customers who did something they weren’t supposed to do, but the next day, they came back and apologized.”
Rupani said he tries to remind students that having a good time and staying safe can go hand in hand.
“You want to have fun and have a good time, but, at the same time, you want to be safe and stay out of trouble,” Rupani said.
That sense of community is something Rupani believes Oxford would lose without its local, late-night eateries.
“I couldn’t think of Oxford without all that,” Rupani said. “These places have been here for a long, long time serving the community. This is what made Oxford what it is right now.”
Munchies Chicken and Waffles
Fried chicken isn’t just popular when served on a stick. Students also enjoy snacking on the classic combination of chicken and waffles after a long night out, especially with the convenience of an on-campus food truck.
McClain Schieltz, co-owner of Munchies Chicken and Waffles, noticed there was a lack of late-night food options on campus when he went to the university.
“I was always very busy in the evenings freshman year and would miss the chance to order from food in the (Student) Union,” Schieltz said. “The only other option, other than Jimmy John’s, was to go off campus. I was lucky enough to have a car my freshman year, but I knew many people who didn’t.”
That experience helped spark the idea for Munchies Chicken and Waffles, an on-campus food truck where students can grab a late-night comfort meal without having to leave campus.
“Having lived in other places and been to other college towns, there is not much in Oxford after hours, and the places open have extremely long lines,” Schieltz said. “That is the main reason we choose to open Munchies. We have added another option into the mix that will give students a quicker option to get food late at night.”
Now, Munchies has become a hotspot for students looking to find food on campus outside of regular hours. Typically located next to Crosby Hall, its convenient location draws an exuberant crowd.
“Being able to be open late at night is amazing,” Schieltz said. “We see a variety of different people come through, and people are definitely more talkative at night.”
Schieltz particularly enjoys serving customers after Ole Miss Football games.
“I would say the experiences being open after Ole Miss Football games are the best, especially when we beat a big team,” Schieltz said. “The LSU game last year was awesome because everyone’s spirits were high, and they all rushed down to Munchies after the game to enjoy some chicken and waffles.”
