10 best campus dining programs

After analyzing 1,384 colleges and universities, review site Niche.com has released its 2017 ranking of schools with the best food. Here’s an overview of the top 10, which were determined using a combination of student surveys and meal plan costs.

University of Georgia’s award-winning dining program offers multiple events for guests, including the popular Taste of Home dinner, where chefs create meals based on recipes submitted by students’ parents. 

James Madison University’s 28 on-campus dining options include all-you-can-eat dining halls, food courts, a food truck, coffee and smoothie bars, and national vendors such as Auntie Anne’s. The dining program has launched numerous sustainability initiatives including trayless dining, a reusable container program and Meatless Mondays. 

The main dining hall on campus offers all-you-can-eat small plates inspired by Spanish tapas, as well as a make-your-own waffle station and soft-serve ice cream bar. Playing off of brunch’s popularity, students and faculty can enjoy all-you-can-eat brunch every Sunday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. 

UMass Amherst has the second-largest campus dining program in the country, serving more than 40,000 meals daily. Students have a plethora of dining options, including a dining commons, 18 retail cafes, two food trucks, a bake shop, concessions and on-campus restaurant the University Club. A testament to its offerings, the university’s dining program came under fire earlier this year for taking business from area restaurants. 

Over half of the solid waste at Bates College’s dining hall gets recycled through the college’s sustainability initiatives. To solicit student feedback, the dining services team has implemented a napkin board at the entrance of the dining hall, where students can write comments and food requests on napkins. 

Bowdoin College makes all of its menu items from scratch using locally sourced ingredients such as beef from area farmers and produce from its on-campus organic garden. Students with dietary restrictions are also able to get gluten-free and vegan dishes at every meal. 

The Culinary Institute of America’s campus offers multiple dining facilities where students can both cook and eat. The Egg, the largest dining facility on campus, offers indoor and outdoor seating that accommodates over 500 students and includes a student-run brewery.

Run by Bon Appetit, the dining program at Washington University in St. Louis features menu items made with fresh, locally sourced food. Students in a rush can use online and mobile ordering at three dining facilities on campus. 

Virginia Tech’s dining options include two food trucks, a grab-and-go market and several cafes and dining halls. Those looking for fine dining can grab dinner at Origami, an on-campus Japanese steakhouse. 

Coming in at No. 1, UCLA serves vegetarian and vegan menu items at every dining facility on campus, and its four residential restaurants offer as many as ten entree choices per meal. The university has also made strides in sustainability by offering trayless dining and compostable to-go packaging.