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The outdoor pizza deck at Wuksachi Lodge in Sequoia National park is just one of several food services improvements at Sequoia and neighboring Kings Canyon National Park/DNC

Some improvements to food services at Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks in California are designed to offer visitors more choices, nicer meal settings, and grab-and-go options. 

The improvements by Delaware North were part of an extensive, multi-year plan to enhance the properties. Delaware North has operated in Sequoia National Park since the late 1990s, and at Kings Canyon National Park since 2013. 

Recent improvements to the dining experience include:

• The new, open-air Wuksachi Pizza Deck at Wuksachi Lodge, featuring outdoor firepits, views of Mt. Silliman, and the opportunity to dine under the stars, amid the smell of pine and the sounds of the forest. Wuksachi Pizza Deck serves a variety of hearth-baked pizzas, organic salads, and craft beers.
• The addition of a solar-powered, grab-and-go food cart in Sequoia National Park called The Sherman Shack, thought to be one of only a few in national parks. Located in the parking lot near the General Sherman Tree, The Sherman Shack provides visitors convenient eating options during the summer season, serving several Trail Ready Meals, including sandwiches, salads, and snacks ranging from trail mix to muffins. All items are produced in house daily to ensure customers are always receiving the freshest food.
• Renovations to Lodgepole Café, including the addition points of service to speed up ordering and consolidation of the grill and deli into a single concept offering the full menu. Among the new menu additions are fresh-made grab-and-go sandwiches and salad options using primarily local sustainable ingredients.
• In 2017, Delaware North completed a 10-month, $6.4 million rebuilding of Grant Grove Restaurant in Kings Canyon National Park. The restaurant was redesigned and reconstructed using sustainable materials and construction techniques, and it earned LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Buildings Council.

“Visitors to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks deserve a hospitality experience that’s befitting of these extraordinary places,” said Lance Wellwood, regional vice president of Delaware North’s parks and resorts division. “The upgrades that we’ve made over the past few years will ensure our guests continue to have a first-class experience every time they stay or dine with us.”

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks lie side by side in the southern Sierra Nevada east of the San Joaquin Valley. Delaware North’s operations in the parks include Wuksachi Lodge, the Wuksachi Pizza Deck, The Peaks Restaurant and Lodgepole Café in Sequoia; and the John Muir Lodge, Grant Grove Cabins, Cedar Grove Lodge, Grant Grove Restaurant and Cedar Lodge Grill in Kings Canyon.