@planner03 is spot-on. D’s dorm accommodations at her school have been, well, similar to what I had when I went to school decades ago. While the university is upgrading their dorms one by one and building new replacement dorms, D has had the older un-renovated ones for 2 years. Small, old, a bit drafty, but clean and classic. I find it interesting that the kids in the older dorms really don’t complain. But their parents do.
Her dining plans have been costly but the food is incredible, especially after the school completed it’s new dining facility last year, with meals paid via a pay-per-item on her swipe card. When you see the facilities and the food, there’s no question where the money goes, and apparently what the competition demands.
That’s a lot cheaper than the average per meal rate I found with my LAC’s own meal plan or those of my HS classmates at other colleges which averaged between $6-$10/meal in the mid-late '90s when I was an undergrad.
And that’s if you subscribed to the 21 meal/week plan. Gets more expensive if you went to 14 or less.
And no, that wasn’t reflective of the costs of food/expense of preparation in those respective local areas as most of us could easily eat 2-4+ meals at restaurants for the same amount of money.
In my case, the price per meal at my LAC"s dining hall would have allowed me to eat 2-4 fine restaurant meals in my college town area and still have some change left over.
Likewise the format used at UW-Madison costs a lot less than in many other places. A la carte since my days eons ago it has a format where as much or little as one wants can be spent. Plus, anyone can eat in the Res Halls facilities, something open from early morning to late at night. The food is varied and often locally sourced (including on campus). Dorm residents pay less and also have a supplied refrigerator in each room and can have one microwave per room. The annual costs put out by UW include the average spent in the low $1000 range. This does not include food brought in or outside eating. Restaurant prices are not high in the campus area although the nearby grocery stores are more expensive than further away (but food prices are much lower than in other regions of the country). The light eaters do not subsidize those who eat most, missing a meal paid for does not happen. No profits to outside concerns- not a money losing/making operation.
My younger son has been frustrated with the food that his school offers since the spring months of his first year (he is now a junior). His biggest complaint is variety … like serving green beans three days in a row. He just assumes they are reheated. So he went to a dining dollars only plan his last two years, and it works out well. Sometimes, he will grab something on campus. Sometimes, he hits the grocery store and buys things he can cook (he lives in his fraternity house that has a nice kitchen). Sometimes, he goes off campus to one of the local eateries. He told me that he plans to save some of his dining dollars to the last few weeks of the semester and go over to the campus hotel for lunch. All you can eat (and it’s outstanding) for less than $10.
Harvard has particularly expensive food service staff:
Last year, Harvard food workers that were making an average of $22 per hour went on strike asking for a higher wage, lower health care costs, and a $35K per year total compensation for anyone who “wants to work the full year”, even if they don’t do so. In the end, the administration caved to the striking workers demands.
I know a few professors there and they said they got by just fine without the dining workers. But they apparently had some student support, and in the end the administration caved.
I’m not sure the Profs, especially senior Profs would be the best source in this area as they don’t dine regularly in the Harvard dining halls…whether the houses or moreso the main hall for first-year students in Harvard Yard.
Incidentally, when my HS classmates and I attended college…some of the HS classmates who compared notes about dining costs/meal with me were attendees at Harvard College. Turns out their average, while being on the high end was no higher than several other respectable/elite colleges in which the average cost/meal was $10.
This included my own LAC back when I attended.
By all accounts, Cornell also has some of the best dining hall food in the nation, but I’ve never had the opportunity to experience that firsthand.
“By all accounts, Cornell also has some of the best dining hall food in the nation,…”
It has had that reputation. And it may be true, I’ve no idea.
I thought it was pretty good back in the day.
But when I went back for Cornell Adult University (a great vacation option, btw) many years later, and had what was obviously the same cafeteria food, I was considerably less enthralled.
Once you’ve been out in the 'real world", my advice would be don’t pass up your reservation at a three star restaurant during restaurant week for a chance to sample that dining hall food.
Or any other.
The dining plan did offer lobster once a year, I wonder if they still do that.
I was I a little miffed to pay $12 plus tax for lunch at UC Boulder, and once I went in, I thought it was underpriced. The next time I’m in Boulder, I’m going back there just to eat at the Persian station. If I lived there, I’d take my family there all the time. An amazing price for all-you-can-eat of that variety and quality.
I’m not about to complain about S16’s meal plan costs. Especially after he’s been home for a month, lol. The food is quite good, lots of healthy choices, unlimited swipes, and an evening option (8-11 p.m.) which works wonderfully with his team practice schedule. Thumbs up!
Well, there’s always trade-offs in life as comparing dining hall food which costs $10/meal on average…even great dining hall food with a 3 star restaurant where the average bill is likely to be several times that before tax/tip is like comparing apples to durians.
Speaking of restaurant week…need to decide if I can take part of Monday afternoon off to attend a friend’s birthday brunch at a ritzy NYC place. Decisions…decisions…
The only complaint my nephew had about the dining hall food at Boulder was Sunday mornings - it didn’t open until 10 or 11, and he is an early riser and couldn’t wait that long.
i remember we had chicken patties several times a week. if it had a pineapple ring on it, the menu said Hawaiian Chicken. some marinara sauce and cheese on top made it Chicken Parmigian, and sweet-and-sour sauce made it Polynesian Chicken.
