Food costs are largely reflective of the costs of the surrounding area. College aged kids eat a lot too. At Michigan the food is quite reasonable. An unlimited food plan runs about $20/day. The food is reasonably good and the cafeterias are open most of the day, and you go to any of them. You could not eat out at restaurants for anywhere close to that amount. I’d expect the east and west coasts to be 50% more just like restaurants.