A look at the top 10 college dining programs in the country

The Princeton Review has released its 2023 list of the best college dining programs in the U.S.. The ranking is based on surveys from 160,000 students. Here’s a look at the dining programs that made it into the top 10. 

10. University of Dayton 

Coming in at No. 10, the University of Dayton in Ohio offers students several different dining venues, including Passports, which serves a variety of international fare, and Rudy on the Run, a food truck. Students can also grab freshly made smoothies via an on-site smoothie vending machine. 

9. University of Richmond

Students at the University of Richmond are treated to over 25 special dining events every semester. Dining options on campus include Organic Krush, which serves a variety of dishes using organic ingredients. The Virginia-based school also recently renovated its Heilman Dining Center. The revamped space now includes more global cuisines as well as a station for students with special diets. 

8. Kansas State University 

Comprised of two main dining halls and several retail locations, the dining program at Kansas State University in Manhattan offers students a variety of options. Its Derby Dining Center also includes a bakery, where Rice Krispie Treats are a student favorite. 

7. Skidmore College 

At Skidmore’s Murray-Aikins Dining Hall in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., students will find options such as a noodle bar and a salad bar featuring produce sourced from the college’s garden. The eatery also offers a late-night menu beginning at 8 p.m. The dining program has implemented several sustainability initiatives, including a campus-wide composting program.

6. Vanderbilt University 

The dining team at Vanderbilt University in Nashville is introducing several new features this school year, including a new reusable container program and all-you-care-to-eat dining at its Commons Dining Hall. Students can participate in a variety of events held throughout the year, including an Underground Supper Club where 10 students are randomly selected to enjoy a special four-course meal prepared by the dining team’s executive chef.

5. Pitzer College 

Pitzer College in Claremont, Calif., offers students four different dining options. Its Shake Down Cafe is student-run. The dining program focuses on implementing locally sourced ingredients, and vegetarian and vegan options are offered at every meal in the main dining hall. 

4. Cornell University

The dining team at Cornell recently unveiled Morrison Dining, a new dining room on the Ithaca, N.Y. campus. The space features 11 different concepts as well as an area called the Discovery Kitchen that is used for research and recipe development.  Other dining amenities include a campus dairy bar, mobile ordering and more. 

3. Washington University in St. Louis 

Students have access to over 11 dining venues at Washington University in St. Louis, Mo. The dining team makes an effort to source local ingredients and promotes sustainability efforts like reusable to-go containers and cups. Students are also encouraged to participate in Green Mondays, where they eat no meat for a day.  

2. Bowdoin College

Menus at this small school in Brunswick, Maine, center around local ingredients, and students can choose from among three different eateries. The campus also houses a bake shop, organic garden and meat shop. 

1. University of Massachusetts at Amherst 

The University of Massachusetts in Amherst tops the Princeton Review’s dining ranking for the sixth year in a row. Each of the five dining commons on campus includes a permaculture garden, and the dining program partners with over 12 farmers in the region to source additional local ingredients. Students also have access to two food trucks on campus as well as a sit-down restaurant.