Trinity University Texas - Campus Dining

Quick Stats

College Prowler Take

Trinity students complain way too much about the food. It is expensive because of the catering company that the school uses (Aramark), but the food is of good quality, and there is more than enough to go around. The meat is recognizable, more often than not, and even the “casseroles” that they serve at the end of the week are flavorfully mashed together. The problem that most students face is that, after four years of dining in the same cafeteria, they have practically memorized the menus, and none of the options seem very appealing anymore. The validine cards (known as “dines”) make paying for meals easy and convenient, although, since the money does not transfer over into the next semester, some students resort to buying cases of food to use up the rest of it. It does create a sense of solidarity on campus, when at the end of each semester, total strangers will buy a meal for someone just so the catering company doesn’t get their greasy hands on the rest of their money.

Since buying a meal plan is part of living on campus, and most students are forced to do so for three years, it is difficult to escape the campus food. Also, the validine cards are not accepted anywhere off campus. Kitchens are located in some dorms, so students do have the option of cooking for themselves, an option that more and more seem to choose by their third year in residence. Overall, the meal plan is worth the money that students have to pay for it, as long as they’re able to add some variety to their meals by just getting away from the cafeteria every now and then.

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Students Speak Out

Anonymous says:

We only have two dining halls, and... We only have two dining halls, and from what I’ve heard about college food, it’s not that bad—it’s pretty good, actually. It’s just that after having eaten it for four years, it gets kind of old. The only thing is that it is more difficult is to eat healthly. 12345 Campus Dining Report

Anonymous says:

The food on campus is fine. But... The food on campus is fine. But remember, this is an expensive school and you pay ridiculous amounts for middle-of-the-road food. (Think airport food, and you have the idea.) It is a captive market. But it’s very convenient; I have no real complaints. 12345 Campus Dining Report

Anonymous says:

I personally wouldn’t say the food... I personally wouldn’t say the food is horrendous, but for people who have special diets, like vegetarians or vegans, finding a suitable meal three times a day is challenging. Furthermore, the menus at both Coates and Mabee do not offer a wide variety of foods and tastes, so it is really easy to get bored of the selections. I would recommend any of the sandwich places, as well as the two cafeteria areas, because those are the places where it’s just easier to find something you might eat. 12345 Campus Dining Report

Anonymous says:

The food on campus is pretty... The food on campus is pretty limited. Initially, it seems like a lot, but it quickly falls short. There are two main locations for food on campus, but they are far away from the upperclassman dorms. However, while the food is not close to being as tasty as home-cooked goodness, it’s of pretty good quality. All of the food on campus is provided by Aramark, so it all bears something of a resemblance. However, San Antonio has a ton of fabulous restaurants to make up for where Aramark falls short. 12345 Campus Dining Report

Anonymous says:

There are two main dining areas at... There are two main dining areas at Trinity, Mabee, and Coates (the Commons), as well as Java City in the library. Mabee is your basic cafeteria, with different stalls serving different foods. Coates serves more fast food, and is open all day, whereas Mabee has limited hours. The food at Trinity is exceptionally good for dorm food, although Aramark charges exorbitant prices. Whatever you do, don’t buy anything from the convenience store; the prices are about three times what you would pay at Wal-Mart. 12345 Campus Dining Report

Did You Know?

Mabee Dining Hall is the location of several food-oriented events, including a fiesta buffet and an “Iron Chef” competition

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