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2019 Best College Food in AmericaAbout this List

The 2019 Best College Food ranking is based on meal plan costs and student reviews. Top-ranked colleges offer outstanding on-campus dining—students can easily access healthy, quality food across a wide range of cuisines and dietary preferences. Read more on how this ranking was calculated.

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  1. Virginia Tech

    • 4 Year
    • Blacksburg, VA
    • 3,628
    #1 Best College Food in America

    Niche User: Virginia Tech is an ideal institution for new opportunities and growth. There is such a huge amount of school spirit and pride for being a Hokie with the students, which I have never genuinely heard or seen from other institutions! Campus/student life is notably wonderful, and the majority of the students are incredibly lively and welcoming. There are so many different people on campus, and they all have their own amazing passions. The institution provides exposure to many experiences to explore like clubs, GobblerFest, athletics and football games, dorm activities, parties, hiking trails, and even checking out scenic spots on campus and throughout the town. From what I've already experienced through campus visits as a prospective Freshman for Fall 2018, I'm so stoked to fully experience and indulge in everything about my new second home!
    Read 3,628 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • A+
      Campus Food
    • 70% Acceptance Rate
    • $18,700 Net Price
    • 1180-1360 SAT Range
    Will You Get In?

  2. University of California - Los Angeles

    • 4 Year
    • Los Angeles, CA
    • 4,791
    #2 Best College Food in America

    Junior: Overall, I've had a great experience here at UCLA. The academics are incredible with very supportive professors and the campus food is top tier. My general consensus is that while most people are campus keep to themselves and are very shy, once that barrier is broken the potential to make lifelong friends is staggering. The campus is a little hilly though, so a good pair of walking shoes is an absolute necessity for happy feet. Your calves will be sculpted in no time! All in all, I am absolutely enjoying my experience here and I want to prolong it as long as possible. No regrets in deciding to get my degree here. Go Bruins!
    Read 4,791 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • A+
      Campus Food
    • 16% Acceptance Rate
    • $14,760 Net Price
    • 1220-1450 SAT Range
    Will You Get In?

  3. Bates College

    • 4 Year
    • Lewiston, ME
    • 341
    #3 Best College Food in America

    Alum: I had the best experience at Bates. The student body is intellectually curious yet super down to earth, professors are always accessible (many of whom I am still close with over a decade later), coursework/the pre-med committee is challenging but prepared me well for medical school, Maine is beautiful with great skiing and hiking nearby, and there are a bunch of really good restaurants in Lewiston with Portland only a 1/2 hour away. I met some of my best friends at Bates and had an absolute blast!
    Read 341 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • A+
      Campus Food
    • 22% Acceptance Rate
    • $23,312 Net Price
    • 1385-1460 SAT Range
    Will You Get In?

  5. University of Massachusetts - Amherst

    • 4 Year
    • Amherst, MA
    • 3,335
    #4 Best College Food in America

    Freshman: This is my first year at UMass Amherst and so far I am loving it! I can't imagine myself anywhere else. The people are so friendly and welcoming. The food is amazing and makes the transition away from home a lot easier. The community is huge and everyone has a sense of pride about attending UMass which makes this place feel even more special. The dorms are average. Night life is to be expected from a college: the usual frat parties. Overall, I am enjoying my time here at UMass and will continue to recommend it to anyone looking for a place they belong.
    Read 3,335 Reviews

    • A
      Overall Niche Grade
    • A+
      Campus Food
    • 58% Acceptance Rate
    • $21,281 Net Price
    • 1180-1360 SAT Range
    Will You Get In?

  6. Washington University in St. Louis

    • 4 Year
    • Saint Louis, MO
    • 1,396
    #5 Best College Food in America

    Senior: WashU has opened up a lot of doors for me in terms of career exploration and pursuit. They have fantastic opportunities for research, community engagement, and intellectual pursuit. I think that they prepare their students well for life post-graduation, but I do think that the school needs to work on its accessibility to students from more diverse socioeconomic backgrounds!
    Read 1,396 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • A+
      Campus Food
    • 16% Acceptance Rate
    • $27,777 Net Price
    • 1470-1570 SAT Range
    Will You Get In?

  7. Bowdoin College

    • 4 Year
    • Brunswick, ME
    • 667
    #6 Best College Food in America

    Freshman: So glad I chose to come to Bowdoin! A very close community where people treat each other with kindness and are excited to learn from their peers. Quality of life is great, with great dorms, food and surrounding area. Classes are challenging but there is very little competitiveness and lots of support for students academically. For a small liberal arts school, there is a very healthy and fun social life.
    Read 667 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • A+
      Campus Food
    • 14% Acceptance Rate
    • $24,447 Net Price
    • 1360-1510 SAT Range
    Will You Get In?
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  9. California Baptist University

    • 4 Year
    • Riverside, CA
    • 2,420
    #7 Best College Food in America

    Junior: There's not a day that I regret choosing to attend CBU to pursue my BSN. The academic regimen here is top-notch, and you can't beat the homeliness and beauty of our campus. For the most part, professors are extremely kind and invested in students' success, but of course you will get those few who aren't so nice. Our food is highly rated and recommended - and for good reason. It's good quality for average prices; sometimes, I just wish we had a little more diversity with cultural choices. Safety isn't normally an issue on campus, but older cars seem to be a common target for thievery on the outer edges of the lots. I'm a commuter, so I can't say much about the dorms, but they're pretty enough from the outside! All in all, CBU is an awesome university that puts clear effort into its students and the opportunities it offers, and its a place where students find community and grow into prepared adults ready for the world.
    Read 2,420 Reviews

    • B+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • A+
      Campus Food
    • 77% Acceptance Rate
    • $25,714 Net Price
    • 980-1190 SAT Range
    Will You Get In?

  10. James Madison University

    • 4 Year
    • Harrisonburg, VA
    • 2,796
    #8 Best College Food in America

    Junior: James Madison University is an outstandingly fantastic campus, which includes nice students and helpful staff. Harrisonburg may not be the biggest college town, but there’s things always going on off campus, as well as on campus grounds as well. Furthermore, studies are taken seriously, as well as any extracurriculars, especially music, which is something JMU excels at, and football, with our team going to the National Championship two times in recent years. It’s not like a big name college, such as Alabama or Notre Dame, but it has that feel of one. It has the heart of one. It has the people of one. If you’re considering applying or coming to a decision, this is definitely a great place to call home, even if it’s just for a little while. And if you aren’t considering, please do! Come take a tour of the town of Harrisonburg and the campus JMU has. It has everything a college kid needs to succeed and have a little fun as well!
    Read 2,796 Reviews

    • A
      Overall Niche Grade
    • A+
      Campus Food
    • 75% Acceptance Rate
    • $16,154 Net Price
    • 1100-1260 SAT Range
    Will You Get In?

  11. University of San Diego

    • 4 Year
    • San Diego, CA
    • 1,786
    #9 Best College Food in America

    Freshman: Going to the University of San Diego is like going to summer camp year round. By that I mean, half of the time I forget I'm just here for school! The campus is so gorgeous it doesn't feel like a traditional college environment at all, and I love that about it. The class sizes are small, enough so that your professor knows you by name. Being able to develop relationships with my professors has significantly helped my academic success in the classroom. I love everything that this school stands for. They are openly accepting of persons from all races and ethnicities, economic backgrounds, and religions. There are on campus resources for minority groups such as women, women and persons of color, and LGBTQ+. The only thing I think this school lacks is the numbers of students with diversity in race and ethnicity as well as economic backgrounds. This school does much to support diverse communities on campus, but lacks in the actual numbers and representation of these minority communities.
    Read 1,786 Reviews

    • A
      Overall Niche Grade
    • A+
      Campus Food
    • 50% Acceptance Rate
    • $38,592 Net Price
    • 1180-1350 SAT Range
    Will You Get In?

  14. St. John Fisher College

    • 4 Year
    • Rochester, NY
    • 519
    #10 Best College Food in America

    Senior: Fisher is an excellent choice for teacher preparation! The faculty and staff are exceptional. There are several opportunities to get involved on and off campus through athletics, clubs, community service, and field experiences. Tuition is costly, but the education you receive here is so worth every penny.
    Read 519 Reviews

    • A-
      Overall Niche Grade
    • A+
      Campus Food
    • 65% Acceptance Rate
    • $27,628 Net Price
    • 1060-1230 SAT Range
    Will You Get In?

  15. St. Norbert College

    • 4 Year
    • De Pere, WI
    • 651
    #11 Best College Food in America

    Junior: The attitude and feel of community at Saint Norbert College is unlike any other. All faculty and staff live and breathe communio and truly go above and beyond for the students from the professors, the cafeteria workers, to the garbage men! Unfortunately this college is lacking when it comes to costs. SNC is incomparably over-priced. Not only that, as tuition continues to increase for students, their scholarship awards do not reflect the increase leaving students, especially those who pay their own way, suffering heavily.
    Read 651 Reviews

    • A-
      Overall Niche Grade
    • A+
      Campus Food
    • 79% Acceptance Rate
    • $25,980 Net Price
    • 1110-1230 SAT Range
    Will You Get In?

  16. University of Georgia

    • 4 Year
    • Athens, GA
    • 5,094
    #12 Best College Food in America

    Junior: Living on campus as a freshman or beyond, it is very easy to become involved. There are many campus organizations that are seeking student involvement and that host events. From my experience, professors are interested in you doing your best, so they work well with their students to help them succeed. Living in the area is nice- there is a nice scene downtown. There are good restaurants, concerts are always going on in the theater, there are good places to shop, and you're not too far from Atlanta or north Georgia!
    Read 5,094 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • A+
      Campus Food
    • 54% Acceptance Rate
    • $15,934 Net Price
    • 1200-1370 SAT Range
    Will You Get In?

  18. Kendall College

    • 4 Year
    • Chicago, IL
    • 305
    #13 Best College Food in America

    Junior: I love being able to get my degree on-line while working full time. I wouldn't change anything. From Financial Aid to the professors, everything is great!
    Read 305 Reviews

    • B
      Overall Niche Grade
    • A+
      Campus Food
    • 71% Acceptance Rate
    • $30,324 Net Price
    • — SAT Range
    Will You Get In?

  19. Gustavus Adolphus College

    • 4 Year
    • Saint Peter, MN
    • 790
    #14 Best College Food in America

    Freshman: Gustavus is a fantastic place for an undergraduate degree. What attracted me most to the school was the strong community and support for all students. The professors really care your success, and they care about you as a person. Anyone on campus will refer you to the best place of help for what you need. The food is really good, as far as college cafeterias go. The campus is in a nice small town, 15 minutes from Mankato and one hour from the twin cities. There are lots of parks and nature to explore nearby, like Seven Mile Creek County Park (I went there on a class field trip!). My favorite place on campus is definitely the arboretum!
    Read 790 Reviews

    • A
      Overall Niche Grade
    • A+
      Campus Food
    • 68% Acceptance Rate
    • $29,894 Net Price
    • 1080-1340 SAT Range
    Will You Get In?

  20. St. Olaf College

    • 4 Year
    • Northfield, MN
    • 691
    #15 Best College Food in America

    Freshman: Great school with great people. Can be challenging, but that's college! The professors really care about their students and most of them have amazing educations themselves so they're well versed on many topics. Small class sizes make it so it's easier to connect with teachers and peers.
    Read 691 Reviews

    • A
      Overall Niche Grade
    • A+
      Campus Food
    • 43% Acceptance Rate
    • $27,587 Net Price
    • 1150-1400 SAT Range
    Will You Get In?

  21. Hendrix College

    • 4 Year
    • Conway, AR
    • 447
    #16 Best College Food in America

    Junior: Hendrix College has incredible academics, passionate professors, excellent extracurricular opportunities, a strong alumni network, and a friendly, yet competitive, atmosphere. There is a clear "Work Hard, Play Hard" mentality among the students here. Professors take personal interests in their students, and the rigorous course loads pay off in spades. Hendrix College can be way too stressful at times, but at the end of the day, there are plenty of resources to help those in need of stress relief. The student housing for underclassmen, however, is abysmal. The dorms are not in the best shape, but there are plans to renovate in the next 5 years. The student Quad is better, yet the walls are so thin you can hear the student above you sneezing. The apartments are better, but they are sometimes a crap-shoot. Overal, the summer opportunities, Odyssey Program, academics, decent level of financial help, and extremely liberal atmosphere makes the high price tag worth it.
    Read 447 Reviews

    • A-
      Overall Niche Grade
    • A+
      Campus Food
    • 80% Acceptance Rate
    • $22,089 Net Price
    • 1100-1410 SAT Range
    Will You Get In?

  22. Wheaton College - Illinois

    • 4 Year
    • Wheaton, IL
    • 586
    #17 Best College Food in America

    Junior: An example of Christian Liberal Arts College.

    Students generally take their faith seriously and very intentional and intense about everything.
    Most professors are great at faith and learning integration.

    The pros of liberal arts are the wide range of subjects you get to learn, but the cons are you are not as specialized in each area as in other universities.
    It also depends on your major. The number of courses and resources offered in certain majors is very limited, such as studio art. (One of my majors is studio art, which I highly don't recommend). Other majors I heard are great, such as Bible and Theology, English, Music, etc.

    Like any other schools, on the surface everyone might be happy and uplifting, but so many people are struggling with things like mental illness, academic stress, relationship, etc. However, there are plenty of resources available for you to reach out, such as the counseling center, small groups, professors, RA, etc.
    Read 586 Reviews

    • A
      Overall Niche Grade
    • A+
      Campus Food
    • 85% Acceptance Rate
    • $30,021 Net Price
    • 1230-1410 SAT Range
    Will You Get In?

  25. Cornell University

    • 4 Year
    • Ithaca, NY
    • 1,812
    #18 Best College Food in America

    Freshman: Prepare to work hard - especially if you're in STEM. As an engineering major my life here is a never ending cycle of attending classes, working in lab, engineering project team related work, doing homework and crashing/going to bed at 1-2AM. It may seem rough to the outsider but if you're coming from a challenging high school (as I did) its a relatively seamless transition and I am infinitely happier here at Cornell! There is constantly something new happening from the range of amazing speakers visiting, cool things your classmates are creating/doing, Ithaca's quirky charm, your eccentric professors , etc... I came here expecting the competition to be intense and thank goodness its not ; there's a sense of general comradery amongst engineers. The motto 'any person, any study' is really true. They have just about every major allowing allotting the opportunity to study a great variety of fields. Fair warning about Ithaca; it gets REALLY cold! Invest in a warm coat!
    Read 1,812 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • A+
      Campus Food
    • 13% Acceptance Rate
    • $31,449 Net Price
    • 1390-1550 SAT Range
    Will You Get In?

  26. University of Oregon

    • 4 Year
    • Eugene, OR
    • 3,303
    #19 Best College Food in America

    Sophomore: I'm very appreciative of the housing dept and how much they helped me personally. I got into a bad situation, they took my concerns seriously and worked with me quickly and discreetly to resolve it. They care about their students well being and it shows through every office I've dealt with. On a fun note the options for on or off campus housing are plentiful. And the dining choices are amazing, creative and fresh. Our academic and extra curricular facilities are mind blowing, I can't imagine any better!
    Read 3,303 Reviews

    • A-
      Overall Niche Grade
    • A+
      Campus Food
    • 83% Acceptance Rate
    • $15,100 Net Price
    • 1080-1270 SAT Range
    Will You Get In?

  27. Liberty University

    • 4 Year
    • Lynchburg, VA
    • 6,680
    #20 Best College Food in America

    Alum: I am a graduate of Liberty University's business school. I received my MBA while working full-time and taking a full-time class load. After looking around at various graduate schools, I chose Liberty due to its affordability, reputation, and its accreditation.

    Due to discounts through work, my MBA had a total cost of approximately $16,000 for the entire program! Otherwise, the degree is still an extremely affordable option with a price of around $24,000 for the entire program. In comparison, I considered some schools in my state of North Carolina - one of which was the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Even in the online track, UNC's website stated that the MBA program would cost a minimum of $99,000 total!

    I found Liberty to be very challenging and thorough. Please note: if you are not good at writing, you may not do very well in this graduate school. Our assignments were comprised of writing 90% of the time.
    Read 6,680 Reviews

    • A-
      Overall Niche Grade
    • A+
      Campus Food
    • 30% Acceptance Rate
    • $26,954 Net Price
    • 1040-1240 SAT Range
    Will You Get In?

  28. Rice University

    • 4 Year
    • Houston, TX
    • 1,007
    #21 Best College Food in America

    Niche User: I love the community atmosphere. Everyone works together to expand on similar desires. Rice as a whole is a college that fuels specific passions! As a person living with a low-income, Rice is determined to help give me FULL FREE tuition to attend their campus because they see my potential. Rice is very specific in it's majors, and the one thing that may be open for improvement is the expansion of their courses to incorporate and be strong in all degree fields.
    Read 1,007 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • A+
      Campus Food
    • 16% Acceptance Rate
    • $24,131 Net Price
    • 1490-1580 SAT Range
    Will You Get In?

  29. Wesleyan University

    • 4 Year
    • Middletown, CT
    • 691
    #22 Best College Food in America

    Junior: I LOVE this school! Couldn't be happier with my choice to come here. The students are incredible - everyone is interested in such a wide range of subjects and activities and they're all so passionate about what they're doing! I have friends who are chem majors who also star in plays, film majors who are also varsity athletes, bio majors who are in mock trial, etc. Everyone feels free to be themselves and do what they love and it's such an awesome environment to be a part of.
    Read 691 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • A+
      Campus Food
    • 16% Acceptance Rate
    • $24,251 Net Price
    • 1300-1480 SAT Range
    Will You Get In?

  32. University of New Hampshire

    • 4 Year
    • Durham, NH
    • 2,541
    #23 Best College Food in America

    Freshman: I love the University of New Hampshire. I personally prefer a bigger campus rather than a smaller one, if you agree then this is the right college for you! There are a lot of students attending UNH, which for some may be overwhelming, but for me it means there is more diversity than most schools. With high numbers of undergraduate students, it is not hard to make friends here. There is always something to do and always opportunities to meet new people. From intramural sports, to clubs, to even simply watching a movie in the Memorial Union Building, it is impossible to be bored while at UNH! Not only is there so much to do, but the campus itself is beautiful and massive, so if you are not into watching movies or sitting around, then taking a stroll around this campus is great.
    Read 2,541 Reviews

    • A-
      Overall Niche Grade
    • A+
      Campus Food
    • 77% Acceptance Rate
    • $22,888 Net Price
    • 1070-1260 SAT Range
    Will You Get In?

  33. Kennesaw State University

    • 4 Year
    • Kennesaw, GA
    • 3,710
    #24 Best College Food in America

    Senior: I like Kennesaw State University because they offer class schedules for returning adult learners like myself who need to improve our academic situations for a better quality of life for me and my family. As I have become recently unemployed due to a lay off, I really need assistance and Kennesaw State University is the right college for me to succeed.
    As a returning adult student and an Army veteran, I am no longer eligible for federal student loans! The only thing that I would like to see changed at Kennesaw State University is to offer more educational assistance to unemployed veterans. There are currently no programs to assist me with my educational financial needs.
    Read 3,710 Reviews

    • B
      Overall Niche Grade
    • A+
      Campus Food
    • 61% Acceptance Rate
    • $17,929 Net Price
    • 1080-1240 SAT Range
    Will You Get In?

  34. Ashland University

    • 4 Year
    • Ashland, OH
    • 684
    #25 Best College Food in America

    Freshman: Ashland University is a great place to go to college. I love the business school and all of the professors I've had so far. All of the people I've met are so nice and student life here in Ashland is great! I just wish that the campus was a little bigger and there were more things to do off campus. I feel that if I want to go off campus to do anything like shop or go out to dinner I have to drive so far. But, overall Ashland is a great place to go to school and I'm very glad I decided to come here.
    Read 684 Reviews

    • B
      Overall Niche Grade
    • A+
      Campus Food
    • 74% Acceptance Rate
    • $20,201 Net Price
    • 960-1180 SAT Range
    Will You Get In?
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