Loyola University Chicago - Campus Dining

Quick Stats

College Prowler Take

It could be worse. That seems to be the attitude most students have about Loyola’s on-campus dining options. This doesn’t sound like the greatest endorsement, but Loyola does try to mix it up a little bit. Vegetarian and vegan options are always available, and the University goes out of its way to bring in various ethnic foods. One day you’ll find burritos, the next hummus and pitas will be on the menu, and the day after that there will be chicken curry. While the Loyola dining experience is certainly not a veritable cornucopia of culinary excellence, it could be far worse.

One of the primary complaints about Loyola’s dining is that the University has its meal plan system set up so that students can’t use it anywhere except in the dining halls and the two on-campus coffeeshops. Most schools will have a program set up with local fast food establishments or family-owned businesses allowing students to use their campus cards to pay for food; this is not the case at Loyola. It is Aramark catering or nothing for students on a meal plan. Also, Loyola’s Jesuit tradition compels it to make all red meat products unavailable on Fridays during Lent. This is just fine for the practicing Catholics among the student body, but they are the minority in the midst of a vibrant, multi-cultured community.

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Students Speak Out

cshea says:

The food on campus is bad. ... The food on campus is bad. Rambler Room is decent, but it does not accept the meal plans so it is not a great solution for freshmen. Simpson Dining and Lakeshore Dining are not great, but if you only go occasionally they aren't nearly as bad as if you eat there 3 times a day. 12345 Campus Dining: March 01, 2009 Report

LoyAG says: Education

There are two dining halls, Lake... There are two dining halls, Lake Shore Dining and Simpson Dining, on the Lake Shore Campus where meal plans can be used. Both of them have salad bars, daily hot food selections, cold sandwich meats, soups, and dessert selections. Simpson generally has better everything, but it is located on the "South side" of campus which is about a 8-10-minute walk for people who live in Mertz Hall, which is where Lake Shore Dining is located. Also on campus is the Rambler Room, where food can be purchased a la carte using flex dollars, rambler bucks, or the declining balance meal plan that upperclassmen have. Rambler Room is open until 1 a.m. six nights a week and has an American grill with chicken fingers, hamburgers, fries, etc., a sandwich bar, a coffee bar, and an international section. 12345 Campus Dining: February 23, 2009 Report

Anonymous says:

The food is best accompanied by... The food is best accompanied by cheese dip. Pour it on everything and anything. Simpson Dining Hall is by far the best option on campus for food. You can get your fair share of grease, meat, veggie, and pizza here. They also have gummy bears, which automatically boosts them into an entirely different level. 12345 Campus Dining Report

Anonymous says:

The food on campus must be good,... The food on campus must be good, considering I gained 15 pounds my first semester, and my vegan friends didn’t starve. There are many things that only need to be tried once to be understood, but there were a few staples that were okay as daily fare, like the salad bar, the bottled fruit smoothies, humus, bagels, and packages of sushi that actually won’t kill you. 12345 Campus Dining Report

Anonymous says:

The dining halls have changed a... The dining halls have changed a lot since I was a freshman. Lake Shore Dining Hall gives you a lot of mediocre food for a flat fee. The Rambler Room always has fried stuff, and their rotating menu is sometimes really good. Simpson Dining Hall is pretty consistently edible. 12345 Campus Dining Report

Did You Know?

Looking for some mealtime entertainment? For various holidays, student organizations will occasionally hire bands, ranging from mariachi to reggae, to play in Rambler room during meal times. New televisions installed in the dining halls show music videos and news programs.

Some organizations, like the campus ministry, will hold banquets outside of the dining halls throughout the year with upper-class students making home-cooked dishes for the freshmen.

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