My D has just graduated with a BA and is soon headed to Cornell for her next step. She has secured an apartment with a kitchen, and while she can cook (and occasionally enjoy it) it’s not a passion of hers. It is time for her to sign up for a meal plan (or not). She had assumed she wouldn’t eat in a dining hall but now she’s having second thoughts. Getting at least one meal per day (and maybe more) might be a good idea because she expects to be insanely busy, possibly very long hours on campus into the evening at the library. What is the quality of the dining hall food at Cornell? Her UG dining food was pretty terrible (the ONLY thing her school didn’t do well) so that is coloring her decision. All opinions are welcome!
I posted this in the Parents Forum because I expect to get more replies this way (students usually relay these thing to their parents, after all) but current and former Cornell students and visitors to the school are invited to weigh in!
As one who has visited, but did not attend, Cornell arguably has the best dining food-wise.
Whether that’s a common option for anyone other than undergrads is a question I’ll let others weigh in on.
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Niche rates 13. Princeton review 5. So ask kids but it’s likely very good.
What was the undergrad - you might look what niche rates it for comparison.
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Thanks for that input! That is encouraging,
She seems to think that graduate students can use the same dining rooms as UGs but maybe she should check on that. I would assume graduate school dining would be the same quality if they do have separate facilities on campus. Today she is completing a lot of forms sent to her by the school …I imagine they would not have asked whether she is buying a meal plan if it’s not available to her as a graduate student.
The dining hall food at Cornell is very good! The west campus dining halls have theme meals every week. And Cornell Dairy ice cream in most of the dining halls. My kid is going to be a junior and will be living off campus, but will still get the 10 meals a week plan.
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Oh, they definitely can. My comment was I don’t know if many do
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In regards, she may not have time or doesn’t like cooking, my daughter’s dining food was ehhhh - but we got her a meal plan every semester. She said - it’s embarrassing to eat there…I’m not a first year - and guess what…she used it every semester.
Or she’d get low blood sugar.
There’s only so many hours in the day and not everyone is disciplined to do their own thing.
I’m sure if you call Cornell dining services, they can give you the lowdown on grad students and what the options are.
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She went to W&M for undergrad, which Niche rates A overall and D+ for food ! Cornell rates A+ overall and A+ for food. I guess that (and your good reviews) settles the question.
With the crazy cost of parking on campus, the enormous hill if hiking on and off campus (often in rain or snow), the pain of going home on the campus shuttle bus for meals just to return back to campus, the late nights many students in her program tend to stay in the library at night (she has heard, anyway) I’d guess there will be be a few fellow grad students in the dining halls. That’s a question she should really ask now on her discord site. But great to hear the food itself is pretty decent 
. Thanks, folks! I think it’s worth buying at least one meal on campus weekdays for a semester but, of course, she’ll make her own decision now.
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Do the math, and see what other options there are on campus. None of my kids ever had dining plans when they went off campus sophomore/junior year, and my daughter never had one the three years she was in grad school at BU. Dining plans really don’t save you money, sometimes they are more expensive than paying oop. A meal swipe costs $15+. A sandwich or sandwich costs less. I believe anyone can pay to eat at a dining hall, although there might be better food for cheaper.
And so much depends on what an individual likes to eat.
If your D’s daily lunch is a huge helping of veggies/salad etc. topped with a piece of grilled salmon or tofu- sure, she can make it herself for less. But the leafy vegetables go bad before she can finish them; she needs to remember to defrost the piece of salmon in the fridge before she leaves for class; etc. Yes, she can use the salad bar at a supermarket, yadda yadda yadda… but what appears to be a high per meal cost at a dining hall (convenient, quick, usually nutritious and fresh) is often the same as the other options (no tax or tip when she’s done with lunch) AND no need to run around.
Kids who are happy with fast food- different story. Kids who can survive on granola bars and a latte twice a day- different story.
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Can you share where your daughter will be living? Will she have a car? If she’s somewhere near north campus, there aren’t many off campus dining options nearby so a dining plan might make sense. North Campus has two dining halls, and this is also where all the freshman reside so they’re pretty large with a lot of food options. If she’s somewhere in Collegetown or near Ithaca Commons, there are many off campus eateries within walking distance.
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She will be in Falls Creek just a few blocks north of Downtown (and just a few hops and a skip from her door to the famous Moosewood) and very near the west side of campus , and not far from her academic building, but she says there is a VERY steep hill up to campus on that side (she toured her apartment in person after attending admitted student’s day). We live on what I would consider a steep, long hill and she says it is nothing compared to Cornell’s hill. She said she got shin splints from the one time she walked down it. I said , well, then you have an opportunity to get very fit (not sure she appreciated that 
). One of her apartment-mates is evidently very active and outdoorsy so maybe they will challenge her to take on The Hill. But I don’t think she’d be running back and forth for a meal break.
She will have a car, but parking on campus is expensive so she nixed that. If she doesn’t feel like walking she will take the campus shuttle, which stops about a block from her place.
I lived down in that area junior year. The hill is no joke, especially in winter. The food was and still is fabulous at Cornell. I’d highly recommend at least having a 5-1 food plan for lunch but if she’s planning on staying on campus to study later in the day, do a 5-2.
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The nomenclature for the dining plans has changed, but I agree that some sort of plan would be advisable. My Cornellian is living in the same general area and is doing the “traditional” plan.
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I relayed both of your replies. She has decided to buy one of the plans for a semester to test it out ( maybe just the Bear Basic) and add on as needed. I appreciate the input!
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I agree, 100% …and I think she underestimates how much fast comfort food ( not so leafy or fresh ) she relies on when stressed and on the run. I suspect she will always be time-stretched and always feeling a little stressed in the next months (I hope in a satisfying way). I think nutrition is important to mental acuity as well as physical health so I’m nudging her in that direction (hey, she ASKED for my opinion!). But she’s 22…it’s all up to her now!