Camp Pendleton Opens Drive-Thru Chow Hall

PHOTO CAPTION: A Sodexo employee hands food to a Marine at the newly opened 62 Area dining facility drive-thru at Camp Pendleton, California, on October 1, 2026. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Davin Tenbusch.

Marines at Camp Pendleton, California, have a new way to grab chow without ever leaving their vehicles.
The Marine Corps opened a drive-thru at the base's 62 Area dining facility on October 1, allowing eligible Marines to use their regular meal entitlements for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
The new service, called Tres Habaneros, offers breakfast burritos, burgers, chicken sandwiches, quesadillas, salads and other grab-and-go meals.
For Marines living in the barracks who receive meal entitlements, the food can be covered through their existing meal plans. They do not have to pay separately for an eligible meal simply because they use the drive-thru.
The idea came directly from Marines who told installation officials they wanted more convenient access to food.
According to Master Gunnery Sgt. Marcus Jenkins, a food technician at Camp Pendleton, officials hold monthly focus groups with Marines to identify ways to improve dining facilities.
One recurring concern involved troops returning from field exercises and maintenance work.
Their uniforms were sometimes too dirty to comfortably enter the dining hall, forcing them to return to the barracks, change clothes and then come back for a meal.
The drive-thru gives them another option.
Marines can pick up food directly from their vehicles, while a walk-up window also provides access to those without transportation.
The 62 Area dining facility serves personnel in an area of Camp Pendleton where field training and military operations are a regular part of daily life.
The new drive-thru is intended to make meals easier to obtain without requiring Marines to leave their work areas for extended periods or change uniforms before eating.
The menu includes breakfast burritos with eggs, vegetables and optional meat, along with sides such as fruit, yogurt and oatmeal.
Lunch and dinner options include burgers, chicken sandwiches, salads and Mexican-inspired dishes.
Personnel who are not using a meal entitlement can also purchase meals.
For 2026, published dining facility meal prices are $4.50 for breakfast, $7.25 for lunch and $6.25 for dinner.
The drive-thru is operated by Sodexo, the food-service contractor responsible for the program.
Although the concept may seem unusual, this is not Camp Pendleton's first drive-thru chow hall.
The base's 22 Area dining facility has operated a drive-thru since 2013.
Jenkins said the original location has been successful, prompting officials to expand the service to another part of the installation.
The latest addition is part of a larger effort to improve food access and quality of life for Marines.
The 62 Area dining facility itself opened in March 2026, replacing a chow hall that had served the installation for 72 years.
The approximately $33 million replacement features modern dining areas, expanded menu options, a pizza oven and a large salad bar.
The drive-thru opened several months later as an additional service rather than a replacement for traditional dining.
Officials said they will monitor demand and make adjustments based on feedback from Marines using the new service.
Camp Pendleton is home to the 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force and numerous other units and schools, with approximately 70,000 military and civilian personnel on the installation during the day.
For Marines accustomed to rushing between field exercises, maintenance duties and limited dining hours, the new service provides a way to pick up an entitled meal without the usual trip inside the chow hall.
It also introduces another change to a military dining system that generations of Marines have experienced very differently.