The buffet-style cafeteria at Hollins has been known to get creative. Students have reported such delicacies as sloppy joe quesadillas, French toast with parsley, baked apples with cheese, bacon and peanut butter sandwiches, grilled cheese and apple sandwiches, s’more quesadillas, pizza hamburgers, cheeseburger pizza with mustard and ketchup on top, and smashed hot dog buns posing as dinner rolls. Hey, at least they promote recycling. Can you imagine letting those hot dog buns go to waste?
Most students agree: The cafeteria food is not worth the price. Sure, sometimes the dining hall serves something delicious, like baked chicken or lasagna, and you can always find pizza, French fries, hamburgers, sandwiches, ice cream, and salad. Plus, the dining staff are friendly and will prepare you special food if you ask. But after a few weeks of eating the same greasy stir-fry or flavorless pasta dish every night, students start to get homesick for mom and dad's cooking.
To further frustrate students, Hollins requires that all resident students pay for the meal plan unless they have special medical conditions. Luckily, if students get sick of the cafeteria or miss meal times, they can head downstairs to The Rat, a snackbar where they can use flex dollars (included in the meal plan) to buy sandwiches, quesadillas, burgers, sodas, and candy. Many students also spend flex dollars at Jazzman's Café, where they can buy coffee, tea, and pastries. Still, many students feel that paying for the meal plan is a waste of their money, especially if they want to prepare their own food.