<p>I think the big difference between the eating clubs and the frats is that the frat members don’t seem to do much but get together in someone’s dorm and drink heavily, sometimes dangerously so. </p>
<p>The eating clubs do have a social component to them, but this includes music, dancing and the watered down beer that Baelor mentioned. And of course they serve food to 2000 upperclassmen. They also provide study space and computer access for their members.</p>
<p>This is according to my son, who is not in a frat, but whose roommate was.</p>