University of Pennsylvania
- Campus Dining

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University of Pennsylvania - Campus Dining - Campus Dining - College ProwlerCollege Prowler2.69

Campus Dining

Quick Stats

Meal Plan Available? Yes
Average Meals/Week 19
Average Meal Plan Cost $4182 per year
Freshman Meal Plan Required? Yes
Student Favorites
  • Beijing
  • Fresh Grocer
  • Hemos food truck
  • La Petite Creperie in Houston Hall
  • La Terasse
  • The Real Le Ahn food truck

Student Author OverviewWhat's This?

Students’ opinions of the food on campus really depend on what they are used to. Some people are impressed by the quality and variety of food, while others get sick of the dining options extremely quickly. For the most part, students acknowledge both positive and negative aspects of the dining program. At Penn, students on a meal plan have three ways to pay for food. They can use a specific number of allotted meals per week or semester at the Dining Halls, Dining Dollars which can be continuously replenished at most retail locations around campus, and PennCash, which works somewhat like a debit card.

Whether you like the food or not, there is certainly enough to eat, facilitated by multiple all-you-care-to-eat locations. In addition, there is something to eat at all hours. Wawa is a popular place to grab a made-to-order sandwich. Freshmen are required to purchase a meal plan, but as long as you purchase the smallest plan available and you make an effort to find places with food that you like, your freshman dining experience should be more than bearable. When it comes to people with special diets, the choices become much slimmer. Dining administration assures students that there are vegan and vegetarian options at every dining location, but the selection usually gives these students little or no options. However, improvements seem to be just beyond the horizon as the school adjusts to alleviate low dining participation rates after students’ freshman year.

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Penn Student ReviewsWhat's This?

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Campus Dining at University of Pennsylvania

modelchica07

African Studies '15

0.0
F

Terrible

Food is expensive and there are not enough options. Hours are inconvenient. It is better to not get a meal plan with all the great restaurants around for the same (and often cheaper) price. I have also found roaches and sometimes mice in dining halls, as well as unfresh food.

Apr 02, 2012

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Campus Dining at University of Pennsylvania

emkelly2015

Marketing '15

3.1
B-

Dining at Penn

The food is honestly not bad, but it gets extremely repetitive. Houston Hall has good options that are made in front of you, but places like Hill dining hall seem to have similar food night after night. Hill used to have a pasta toss option, where you could pick what you wanted to be put into a bowl with pasta, but a few months after the start of the year, they switched to just offering one type of pasta with veggies or meat in it. It's not bad, but I miss the variety!

Mar 15, 2012

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Campus Dining at University of Pennsylvania

quakergirl2014

Political Science and Government '14

3.1
B-

More Dining Dollars, Less Meal Swipes

"More dining dollars, less meal swipes" is the advice that every upperclassmen will give an incoming freshman (unless you're an athlete, then unlimited meal swipes is usually the way to go!).

Jan 01, 2012

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User rating for University of Pennsylvania - Campus Dining is 2.3 out of 5 based on 27 user reviews.

Student Survey Poll ResultsWhat's This?

Rate campus dining on the following topics

Facts

24-Hour Dining
  • Fresh Grocer
  • McDonald’s
  • Wawa
Off-Campus Places to Use Flex Money Savory/Spruce between 38th and 39th
Special Options Food trucks can be found all over campus and offer a variety of food from fresh fruit to Japanese to hoagies. These trucks are usually convenient and incredibly cheap; as a result, they are very popular among busy students who like to grab a bite on the go. Late at night, it is not uncommon to order-in for wings and pizza from a place like College Pizza on the edge of campus.

Dining Halls & Campus RestaurantsWhat's This?

1920 Commons
Location: 3800 Locust Walk
Food: Buffet style, salad bar
Hours: Monday–Thursday 11 a.m.–8 p.m., Friday 11 a.m.–7:30 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m.–3 p.m., 5 p.m.–8 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m.–3 p.m.

Accenture Cyber Café
Location: Towne Building
Food: Coffee, pastries
Hours: Monday–Thursday 11 a.m.–9 p.m., Friday 11 a.m.–8 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m.–6 p.m., Sunday 1 p.m.–9 p.m.

Au Bon Pain
Location: Huntsman Hall, ground floor
Food: Sandwiches/pastries
Hours: Monday–Friday 6 a.m.–7 p.m.

Hill College House Dining Hall
Location: 3333 Walnut St.
Food: Various, all-you-can-eat buffet
Hours: Monday–Thursday 7:30 a.m.–5 p.m., Friday 7:30 a.m.–7:30 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m.–3 p.m., 5 p.m.–7:30 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m.–3 p.m.

Houston Market
Location: 3417 Spruce St.
Food: Various, food court
Hours: Monday–Thursday 11 a.m.–8 p.m., Friday–Saturday 11 a.m.–4 p.m., Sunday 12 p.m.–8 p.m.

Kings Court/English House Dining Hall
Location: 3465 Sansom St.
Food: Various, all-you-can-eat buffet
Hours: Monday–Friday 8 a.m.–7:15 p.m.

Mark’s Café
Location: Van Pelt–Dietrich Library
Food: Coffee, sandwiches
Hours: Monday–Friday 7 a.m.–12 a.m., Saturday 9 a.m.–6 p.m., Sunday 12 p.m.–12 a.m.

McClelland Hall (express service only)
Location: 3700 Spruce St.
Food: Various
Hours: Monday–Thursday 8 a.m.–8 p.m., Friday 8 a.m.–3 p.m., Sunday 4 p.m.–8 p.m.

Subway
Location: 1920 Commons, lower level
Food: Sandwiches
Hours: Monday–Thursday 11 a.m.–12 a.m., Friday 11 a.m.–8 p.m., Saturday 12 p.m.–6 p.m., Sunday 1 p.m.–12 a.m.

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Most Recent Student Author View all

Name
Perry Petra-Wong
Hometown
Pasadena, Calif.
Major
Philosophy, Politics, and Economics

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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