Bates College - Campus Dining

Quick Stats

College Prowler Take

One distinguishing factor about Bates dining is that there is only one dining hall. The College has always had a familial sense of its community, so the students feel strongly about only having one dining hall. It’s almost a given that you’ll bump into someone you know in Commons, since everybody is concentrated in one place. While the menu might seem to get old after going to the same place every day, Dining Services works hard to bring a lot of variety to each meal. New Commons, which opened in spring of 2008, has expanded the dining staff’s range even more. Bates has a large vegetarian and vegan population, and Dining Services certainly caters to them. There is a vegan bar that is half the dining hall in length, as opposed to ice-cream cart size, and at least one vegan dessert is offered at every meal. There is a brick oven station where pizza is served almost daily. Students can select from two hot foods lines: the grill and the euro station. The salad bar and deli are open for lunch and dinner. Bates is very good about informing the public where they get their food from and what ingredients are in each dish, avoiding complications with allergies, although there is the occasional mislabel of whether a dish is vegetarian or vegan.

The only disadvantage is that even with the larger dining hall, it is still difficult to find seats at noon and 6 p.m. However, there usually is space upstairs, although that means getting a workout climbing up and down the steep staircase every time you forget a fork or want to get more food. The Napkin Board—a place where students can leave comments, complaints, and suggestions—ensures that students actually have a lot of say in what Commons serves, and it isn’t unusual to see an item appear in the dining hall only a short time after students jot it down. An anonymous responder writes witty responses to students’ requests, adding to the light-hearted humor of the average Batesie. Years ago marked The Gatorade Wars, when students continuously requested Gatorade, and Commons consistently denied them. Eventually, the democratic process won, and Powerade machines were added to the dining hall. Dining at Bates is generally excellent; however, there is only one meal plan. Students have unlimited meals, which can be a big advantage if you stop by Commons six times a day for coffee but is also frustrating for students who only eat one or two meals in the dining hall a day. And it doesn’t help with the Freshman 15 either. Meals over breaks are not always included, so students have to pay for each individual meal at a high price. On the whole, though, Bates Dining Services is outstanding, especially considering how small the school is.

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Students Speak Out

BatKB says: Bates College 2013 English Language and Literature

Bates has one of the best college... Bates has one of the best college dining facilities in the country. It gets old sometimes, but you really can't ask for a better college meal plan than Commons. If you have the meal plan, you get unlimited access to Commons whenever it's open, which makes it great for running in to grab a quick coffee or snack at no extra cost. There are also other options like Milts and the Den, which can be great for midnight snacks or for when you want something specific from the grill. 12345 Campus Dining: March 01, 2009 Report

BatAF says: Bates College 2016 Social Sciences

Commons does a really solid job of... Commons does a really solid job of providing delicious food for Batesies. Unfortunately, if you eat anywhere repetitively, things can get old. The new dining hall is really fantastic, alhough I didn't experience the old one. Sunday nights tend to be poor. Everyone loves Milt's, whether for a late weeknight snack or a weekend-night-ending case of drunk munchies. 12345 Campus Dining: February 17, 2009 Report

BatAC says: Bates College 2014 Biological and Biomedical Sciences

Our dining facilities are great!... Our dining facilities are great! The dining hall (Commons) is always trying new things and is really eager to please. The vegan bar is fantastic, the salad bar has lots of fixin's, there are always tasty pizza creations, and interesting things at the grill. The Commons workers are also super friendly. Apart from Commons, there's also Milt's and the Den where you can purchase food separate from the meal plan. 12345 Campus Dining: February 16, 2009 Report

jsawyer says: Bates College 2013 English Language and Literature

The food has improved... The food has improved significantly since the new dining hall was built, though it has lost some its small school personality and luster since the dining hall and responsibilities of the dining services staff have changed. Commons is all-you-can eat and you get three guest passes a semester that rollover if you don't use them. Milt's is where you can go for food after-hours. The Den used to be popular, but due to funding issues, its hours have been cut short, and it's slowly being phased out to the dismay of the upperclassmen. The Ronj, our on-campus coffee house, is a laid-back place to chill or do homework while sipping some chai, its featured item. 12345 Campus Dining: February 15, 2009 Report

paseksoccer says: Bates College 2016 Social Sciences

Bates just opened up a brand-new... Bates just opened up a brand-new beautiful dining hall. It features a brick oven, European station, and vegan bar among many other amazing features. Bates also helped solve most of the congestion issues by making this dining center larger. 12345 Campus Dining: October 17, 2008 Report

Did You Know?

Commons provides an online menu for every meal. Particular favorites include grilled cheese, chicken crispitos, chicken patties on Saturdays, and name-your-own omelets on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The new waffle makers are also a breakfast hit.

There is a clambake every fall at Popham Beach, serving lobster for only $7.

Bates Dining Services organizes an “Adventures in Dining” sequence every Wednesday, featuring themes such as Mardi Gras, however, the event is not as big as it was in the old dining hall. During exams and Winter Carnival, Dining Services hosts late- night breakfasts and junk food nights.

Bates Dining Services is part of the Farm-to-College program and buys many products directly from local farmers, some of who are Bates alumni. Bates received a sizeable donation in 2008 for campus cuisine—as a result, the school has launched an initiative called “Bates Contemplates Food.”

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