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The 2018 College Power Players

Here are the 25 college dining programs with the highest number of meal plans sold.

Mike Buzalka, Executive Features Editor

May 2, 2018

25 Slides
2018 College/University Power Players

The extent of a college dining program can be measured in a number of ways. Four years ago, when we published our initial College Power Players listing, we ranked the programs by the number of students living on campus, as resident populations have a significant effect on the scope of a campus dining program because those students are technically around as potential customers 24/7.

This time, we decided on a different metric—the number of meal plans sold—as meal plan participation is the traditional bedrock of college dining programs. Comparison with the previous listing shows that many of the same schools are on both, which is as good a way to identify the major players in college dining as any.

In addition to the meal plan participation number, in each entry we have provided several other data points, from enrollment figures and meal plan cost ranges to number of dining outlets. A short narrative accompanying each entry details some of the program’s recent initiatives.

While this listing is confined to the 25 colleges with the highest number of meal plans sold, we plan in the near future to complement it with a second College Power Players package providing this same kind of data for a couple dozen other programs that didn’t make this list.

About the Author

Mike Buzalka

Executive Features Editor, Food Management

Mike Buzalka is executive features editor for Food Management and contributing editor to Restaurant Hospitality, Supermarket News and Nation’s Restaurant News. On Food Management, Mike has lead responsibility for compiling the annual Top 50 Contract Management Companies as well as the K-12, College, Hospital and Senior Dining Power Players listings. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English Literature from John Carroll University. Before joining Food Management in 1998, he served as for eight years as assistant editor and then editor of Foodservice Distributor magazine. Mike’s personal interests range from local sports such as the Cleveland Indians and Browns to classic and modern literature, history and politics.

Mike Buzalka’s areas of expertise include operations, innovation and technology topics in onsite foodservice industry markets like K-12 Schools, Higher Education, Healthcare and Business & Industry.

Mike Buzalka’s experience:

Executive Features Editor, Food Management magazine (2010-present)

Contributing Editor, Restaurant Hospitality, Supermarket News and Nation’s Restaurant News (2016-present)

Associate Editor, Food Management magazine (1998-2010)

Editor, Foodservice Distributor magazine (1997-1998)

Assistant Editor, Foodservice Distributor magazine (1989-1997)

 

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