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- Campus Dining

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Northwestern University - Campus Dining - Campus Dining - College ProwlerCollege Prowler3.85

Campus Dining

B+
Where does this grade come from?View all Campus Dining rankingsReview this school to add your opinion

Comparable Schools' Campus Dining Grades:

Quick Stats

Meal Plan Available? Yes
Average Meals/Week 16
Average Meal Plan Cost $5277 per year
Freshman Meal Plan Required? Yes
Freshmen living in University housing are initially assigned to a 13-meals-per-week plan, but this can be changed.
Student Favorites: Campus Dining Hall
  • 1835 Hinman
  • Allison Dining Hall
Student Favorites: Campus Restaurant/Vendor
  • Jamba Juice
  • Lisa's Café
Student Favorites: Breakfast Food on Campus
  • Make-your-own waffles
  • Omelets
Student Favorites: Lunch/Dinner Entrée on Campus
  • Made-to-order pizza
  • Stir-fry
Student Favorites: Late-night Snack on Campus
  • The Great Room
  • Lisa's Café

Student Author OverviewWhat's This?

If you don’t come in expecting much, your taste buds and Northwestern campus food will get along just fine. The dining halls do have specific menus and occasional themed nights, like “Mexican Fiesta” and "Thanksgiving," but the food gets old pretty quickly, especially when you eat at the same place for 13 meals a week. At every meal, there is the standard pasta, pizza, cereal, and salad bar that allows students to get creative when the main entrée just isn’t cutting it. Most dining halls have made-to-order wraps, burgers, and panini sandwiches. Allison Hall has a themed cuisine that changes each day (like stir-fry or tacos); Foster-Walker is known for its omelet bar and burritos; and Willard lets you order your food on kiosks, similar to a real restaurant. In 2011, Northwestern changed its meal policy, requiring freshmen to be, at least, on the 13-meal-per-week plan. Unfortunately, this limits eating options at other places on campus that are not specified dining halls, like Norris, Fran’s Café, or Lisa’s Café. But after freshman year, many students switch to block plans, allotting students more “points” that can be used for any food on campus, at any time.

Select dining halls also offer convenience stores (“C-Stores”), which are similar to a mini-grocery store. Here, you will find little snacks, toiletries, and on-the-go meals for when you don’t have time to sit in a dining hall or want to stock up on treats for your looming all-nighter. The University Library and Kresge Hall have cafés that are great for study breaks or a snack in between classes, and Tech has a secret Einstein Bros. Bagels and Tech Express. While the quality of food may not be the best, you will never go hungry. College students love to eat, just be watchful of the desserts. They always look good but are almost never worth the calories.

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Northwestern University Student ReviewsWhat's This?

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Campus Dining at Northwestern University

van229

Psychology '15

3.8
B+

Lots of Options

The dining halls are decent, but you only really get variety if you go to many different ones. But you can use points at the student center and other cafes so that is nice.

Mar 03, 2012

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Campus Dining at Northwestern University

sethumz

Music Performance '14

3.1
B-

Too Expensive

The food isn't terrible, but considering what you pay to eat it, it makes more sense to move off campus and make your own food. Sometimes I feel like you're better off being a vegetarian, because the meat can be terrifying, and should usually be avoided. Toward the middle of the year I went on the waffle diet. It was a great decision. I do like that each dining hall is slightly different. It's still exciting to go to Willard every once in a while because they have a really cool buzzer system that makes you feel fancy.

Dec 29, 2011

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Campus Dining at Northwestern University

bc14

Biological Sciences '15

3.8
B+

Good Food, but Can Get Old

Dining is overall fine as long as you take the effort to move around campus rather than going to the same dining hall for every single meal. Most dining halls have a decent variety of stations: grill, sandwiches, pasta bar, salad bar, pizza, stir fry, and entrees. Sargent is known for its sandwiches, Allison has a good salad bar, Hinman excels at its entree area. Personally, I usually eat at Sargent since it's near my dorm, but a few trips south for lunch each week keep that from getting too dull.

Dec 12, 2011

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Page 1 of 13
User rating for Northwestern University - Campus Dining is 3.5 out of 5 based on 37 user reviews.

Student Survey Poll ResultsWhat's This?

Rate campus dining on the following topics

Facts

24-Hour Dining None
Off-Campus Places to Use Flex Money None
Special Options NU offers carb-friendly, low-fat, vegan, and vegetarian menu options on a daily basis.
Did You Know? In 2010 and 2011, PETA named Northwestern the No. 1, "Most Vegan Friendly College."

Dining Halls & Campus RestaurantsWhat's This?

1835 Hinman
Location: 1835 Hinman
Food: Cereal bar, grill, ice cream bar, pasta, salad bar, stir-fry
Hours: Monday–Thursday 7:30 a.m.–8 p.m., Friday 7:30 a.m.–7 p.m., Saturday 10:45 a.m.–7 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m.–7:30 p.m.

1835 Hinman C-Store
Location: 1835 Hinman
Food: Convenience store
Hours: Monday–Thursday 7:30 a.m.–12 a.m., Friday 7:30 a.m.–7 p.m., Saturday 10:45 a.m.–7 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m.–12 a.m.

Allison Dining Hall
Location: Allison Hall
Food: Cereal bar, grill, ice cream bar, pasta, salad bar, soup
Hours: Monday–Friday 7:30 a.m.–7 p.m.

Crepe Bistro
Location: Norris Center
Food: Crepes
Hours: Monday–Thursday 8 a.m.–11 p.m., Friday 8 a.m.–9 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m.–9 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m.–11 p.m.

Crowe Café
Location: Norris
Food: Coffee, pre-made sandwiches, snacks
Hours: Monday–Thursday 8 a.m.–5 p.m., Friday 8 a.m.–3 p.m.

Einstein Bros. Bagels
Location: Pancoe Life Sciences Pavilion, second floor
Food: Coffee, bagels, salads, sandwiches, soups
Hours: Monday–Thursday 8 a.m.–4 a.m., Friday 8 a.m.–3 p.m.

Elder Dining Hall
Location: Elder Hall
Food: Grill, healthy, hot line
Hours: Monday–Friday 11:15 a.m.–7 p.m.

Foster-Walker Complex Dining Hall – East Side
Location: Foster-Walker Complex, east wing
Food: Cereal, desserts, hot line, salad bar, soup, tofu stir-fry
Hours: Monday–Thursday 10:45 a.m.–8 p.m., Friday 10:45 a.m.–7:30 p.m., Saturday 10:45 a.m.–7 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m.–7 p.m.

Foster-Walker Complex Dining Hall – West Side
Location: Foster-Walker Complex, west wing
Food: Made-to-order burgers, burritos, salads, sandwiches
Hours: Monday–Thursday 7:30 a.m.–11:30 p.m., Friday 7:30 a.m.–7 p.m., Saturday 7:30 a.m.–7 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m.–7:30 p.m.

Foster-Walker C-Store
Location: Foster-Walker Complex, west wing
Food: Convenience store
Hours: Monday–Thursday 7 a.m.–12 a.m., Friday–Saturday 7:30 a.m.–7 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m.–12 a.m.

Fran's Café
Location: Willard Hall
Food: Café-style food
Hours: Monday–Friday 8 p.m.–2 a.m., Sunday 7 p.m.–2 a.m.

The Great Room
Location: 610 Haven St.
Food: Pub food
Hours: Monday–Friday 11 a.m.–2 a.m., Sunday 5 p.m.–2 a.m.

Jamba Juice
Location: Norris Center
Food: Smoothies
Hours: Monday–Friday 11 a.m.–7 p.m., Sunday 12 p.m.–7 p.m.

Lisa's Café
Location: Slivka Residential College
Food: Baked goods, coffee, juices, soup, sub sandwiches
Hours: Monday–Saturday 11 a.m.–2 a.m., Sunday 12 p.m.–2 a.m.

Nu Sushi
Location: Norris Center
Food: Sushi
Hours: Monday–Thursday 11 a.m.–7 p.m., Friday 11 a.m.–3 p.m., Sunday 12 p.m.–7 p.m.

Paws 'N Go
Location: Norris Center
Food: Convenience store, grab-and-go items
Hours: Monday–Thursday 10 a.m.–11 p.m., Friday–Saturday 10 a.m.–9 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m.–11 p.m.

Plaza Café
Location: 1970 Campus Drive
Food: Coffee, smoothies, sub sandwiches, sushi
Hours: Monday–Thursday 8:30 a.m.–12 a.m., Friday 8:30 a.m.–3 p.m., Saturday 12 p.m.–4 p.m., Sunday 5 p.m.–12 a.m.

Sargent Dining Hall
Location: Sargent Hall
Food: Cereal bar, grill, ice cream bar, pasta, salad bar, soup
Hours: Monday–Thursday 7:30 a.m.–8 p.m., Friday–Saturday 7:30 a.m.–7 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m.–7:30 p.m.

Sbarro
Location: Norris Center
Food: Italian, pizza
Hours: Monday–Friday 11 a.m.–9 p.m., Saturday–Sunday 12 p.m.–9 p.m.

Starbucks
Location: Norris Center
Food: Baked goods, coffee
Hours: Monday–Thursday 8 a.m.–11:45 p.m., Friday 8 a.m.–9 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m.–9 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m.–11:45 p.m.

Tech Express
Location: Technological Institute
Food: Coffee, pastries, salad, soup, sub sandwiches
Hours: Monday–Thursday 7:30 a.m.–6:30 p.m., Friday 7:30 a.m.–3 p.m.

Willard C-Store
Location: Willard Residential College
Food: Convenience store
Hours: Monday–Friday 11:15 a.m.–2 a.m., Sunday 7 p.m.–2 a.m.

Willard Dining Hall
Location: Willard Residential College
Food: Cereal bar, grill, ice cream bar, pasta, salad bar, soup
Hours: Monday–Friday 11:15 a.m.–7 p.m.

Willie's Food Court
Location: Norris University Center
Food: Asian, café, cereal bar, deli, grill hot dogs, Mexican, salad, soup
Hours: Monday–Thursday 11 a.m.–7 p.m., Friday–Saturday 11 a.m.–3 p.m., Sunday 12 p.m.–7 p.m.

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Most Recent Student Author View all

Name
Shayna Starr
Hometown
Houston, Texas
Major
Journalism
Grad Year
2014

College Prowler is seeking talented student authors to assist with writing and updating the College Prowler guides to their schools. This is a great opportunity for a student to gain experience and tremendous exposure, utilize new media techniques, and share advice with high school students about what life is really like at your college.

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